Chapter 17: Clothes Make The Man
In the afternoon, after leaving the martial arts school, Chen Wujun went to a nearby convenience store. He took a note out of his pocket and made a call according to the number on it.
“Who is it?” On the other end of the phone was a man with a strong voice full of vigor.
“Brother Ji Xiang, it’s Jun Zai!”
“Jun Zai, come to the financial company. Do you not know where it is? Come to Liang He Building, fourth floor! There’s such a big sign hanging there.”
Chen Wujun hung up the phone and headed straight to Liang He Building. This was in the western part of Long Jin Road, surrounded by many small factories, all family workshop scale, like making rulers, rubber plungers, drain stoppers, and such. Everywhere was piled full of all sorts of clutter, and people were constantly pulling carts in and out.
Finding Liang He Building, he saw a sign on the fourth floor: “Jin Di Finance”!
Arriving on the fourth floor, he saw a row of long corridors, one of which had a glass door. Pushing it open and going in, he saw inside a haze of cigarette smoke, with five or six men either lying on the sofa smoking or loudly making calls on the side.
“I’m telling you, you have three more days. If you don’t pay back the money, I’ll send you to be a prostitute!”
“Hey, Niu Zhao, the day to pay back has come. Do you really want me to come to your door?”
Ji Xiang was sitting behind a table.
“Brother Ji Xiang.”
“Jun Zai is here!” Ji Xiang immediately showed a smile, waved to Chen Wujun, and at the same time shouted to the others: “Hey, take a look, this is Jun Zai!”
“He’s with Sister Sha Jiu!”
The others turned their heads to glance at Chen Wujun, seeing that though he was young, his energy and spirit were pretty good.
They all greeted him: “A Jun!”
Being with Sister Sha Jiu and being with Ji Xiang were completely different in status.
But Chen Wujun was too young, and he had just joined Sister Sha Jiu.
Chen Wujun sat down across from Ji Xiang. Ji Xiang pulled open the drawer, took out a stack of money from inside, and also took out a flip phone and put it on the table, pushing it over.
“It’s inconvenient without a phone to contact. Phone is 8000 bucks, deduct from your monthly pay!”
“72239168, all the way to prosperity! I specially had someone get this number for you.”
“This is 8000 bucks advanced to you. Won’t deduct this time. You need money in many places now, go get two sets of clothes!”
“What you’re wearing now looks like a student. It’s fine during the day, but not when working with Sister Sha Jiu.”
Chen Wujun took the phone and fiddled with it with great interest.
Inside was a very small green screen and number keys, and the flip part had an earpiece.
The mobile phone was quite compact.
Such a thing cost 8000 bucks, and even his old man didn’t have one.
Although he had robbed one a few days ago, he didn’t dare use it at all, smashed it and threw it in the stinking ditch.
“Nothing much today. First go get some clothes. I’ll call you tonight!”
“Want me to have someone take you?”
“I can go by myself. Brother Ji Xiang, do you know where to rent a house?” After putting away the phone, Chen Wujun casually chatted a few sentences, then said goodbye and left.
After Chen Wujun left, someone immediately asked: “Brother Ji Xiang, what did Sister Sha Jiu see in that kid? She couldn’t have taken a liking to them, right?”
“A little brat, with Sister Sha Jiu?”
“If Sister Sha Jiu hears that, she’ll skin you! Don’t blame me for not warning you. She has a tough background, don’t offend him for no reason.”
“That awesome? What’s his exact background?”
“If it could be said, wouldn’t Brother Ji Xiang tell you? Use your brain!” Another young man mocked.
……
Outside the door, Chen Wujun leaned against the wall, listening to the voices coming from inside.
When the discussion inside stopped, he grinned, a smile with a bit of ferocity, tugged at the cheap T-shirt on his body, and turned to leave.
“As soon as I came, I followed Senior Sister, those people must be dissatisfied and unconvinced.”
“These gangs are ultimately based on strength.”
“If you can fight, others fear you and respect you, treat you with respect.”
“If you have no ability, even if someone looks after you, others still look down on you.”
“Even Ji Xiang may not be as friendly as he seems on the surface.”
Chen Wujun thought as he left the building. Once his own strength improved a bit, he needed to find an opportunity to show his strength, so they wouldn’t have other things to say.
He joined He Tu to make a name for himself, not to be someone’s little brother, take orders, and be looked down upon.
Reaching into his pants pocket and feeling the bulge, it actually put him in a good mood.
He wasn’t short of money for now, but that money was shady, gone once used.
From now on, he could get a sum of money every month. Though not a lot, it was enough for him.
Leaving the walled city, Chen Wujun went to Gaosen Long Road according to his memory. This was also a buffer zone between the residential area and the walled city, with a few suit shops that looked pretty good.
The shop assistant saw the young Chen Wujun come in and didn’t neglect him.
Chen Wujun’s appearance and clothes were ordinary, but after practicing martial arts these days, his kung fu had taken shape, full of energy and spirit, eyes bright and sharp.
If a person has full energy and spirit, even if clothes are ordinary, others won’t look down on you.
“Help me pick two pairs of suit pants and shirts!” Though it was Chen Wujun’s first time in such a shop, he wasn’t the least bit intimidated, acting naturally.
Soon, Chen Wujun picked two dark elastic casual suit pants, one black shirt, one blue shirt.
Mainly because dark colors don’t show dirt easily.
But wearing them on, the whole person seemed completely changed. His originally ordinary youthful appearance seemed much better looking, and more mature.
“Sure enough, clothes make the man, gold makes the Buddha shine.”
“Wearing proper clothes, the whole person looks different.”
“Others don’t know your identity, only look at your clothes and demeanor to decide how to treat you.”
“Must dress properly from now on.”
Chen Wujun was still turning these thoughts in his mind when leaving the suit shop.
Then he went to the neighboring shoe shop and bought two pairs of shoes.
One pair was sporty style, comfortable to wear; one pair was hard-soled leather shoes, able to grip the ground anytime when stepping on it.
These clothes and shoes cost 2000 bucks.
Chen Wujun thought it expensive, but after realizing “clothes make the man, gold makes the Buddha shine,” he didn’t feel heartbroken at all.
“From now on, should wear the best clothes, drive the best cars, live in the best houses, everyone fears me and respects me!”
Previously without experience, Chen Wujun thought making a name for himself meant living in a luxury house in the city center, driving luxury cars.
Now he had experienced some life he hadn’t before, and had a clearer idea of making a name for himself.
Then on the street side he saw a very shabby shop, clearly a place selling fake watches.
After going in, Chen Wujun saw several shiny gold watches in the cabinet.
Though he knew they were definitely fake, he still looked a couple more times.
Then he shifted his gaze elsewhere, and finally spent 150 bucks on a plain ordinary mechanical watch.
Chen Wujun carried the bag back to the walled city, feeling that renting a house was even more urgent, otherwise there was no place to put these clothes.
He simply went to the Tian Hou Temple in the center of Long Jin Road. Nearby was also an elderly center, the only place in the walled city where you could see the sun.
Tall buildings around enclosed this small area in the center.
Though there were no other buildings above the Tian Hou Temple, there was a layer of wire mesh six or seven meters high, scattered with garbage bags, empty bottles, and such trash thrown from above.
And near the Tian Hou Temple was a large bulletin wall, posted full of rental flyers.
“Shared shop space, eight-person room. Long-term night shift, looking for someone to share shop space, 150 per month!”
“Prime shop transfer, located on Elder Street, 360 sq ft, price negotiable.”
“Hiring workers…”
“Two people sharing one shop space, one day, one night… what’s the fun in living like this? Better to go all in!” Chen Wujun looked at the flyers posted above and said softly.
Even jail is better than this.
“No background, no ability, no courage, just muddling through life in a daze, no wonder they’re poor!
Soon, Chen Wujun found a house rental notice, near the east district, not far from the martial arts school, 13th floor, 230 sq ft.
Walled city houses have no elevators, 13th floor means climbing up, and also carrying water up and down every day, so this house’s price was a bit lower than others.
But for Chen Wujun, these weren’t drawbacks at all.
He had to go to the rooftop to practice punching every day anyway, and the rooftop was just two steps away from the door, even more convenient.
He didn’t cook either, didn’t need to carry water much.
He could even hire someone to carry it up since he had little time.
Chen Wujun took out his mobile phone and dialed the number on the flyer, turned his head to look around, and found that as soon as he took out his phone, several pairs of eyes swept over.
Some with ill intent.
In walled city life, the most important thing is not to flash wealth.
Chen Wujun sneered inwardly; he was just short of a human head stake for punching practice.
“Hello, renting a house! The one on 13th floor of East Zheng 14th Building… okay, 20 minutes later.”
Chen Wujun hung up the phone, stuffed the mobile phone into his pocket, picked up the things with both hands and headed to East Zheng 14th Building, while heightening his mind to the utmost.
Not far along, he felt a hand reaching toward his pants pocket.
Chen Wujun suddenly lifted his foot and stomped toward the right rear. A man was just about to reach into Chen Wujun’s pants pocket when his eyes blurred and his instep exploded in pain.
Almost at the same time, Chen Wujun smashed an elbow into his chest.
The man fell backward.
Chen Wujun let go of his hands, the bag with clothes and shoes dropped straight to the ground, and both hands fiercely stabbed toward the man’s crotch.
Tiger Killing Heart Stab!
If the opponent is a fierce beast, this move stabs the heart. But if it’s a person, then it’s the crotch.
The man rolled on the ground nonstop, lips turning white, eyes starting to roll back, in so much pain he couldn’t make a sound.
The people around seeing the fight here scattered to the side with a whoosh, forming a circle to watch the excitement.
Among the crowd, a few had unkind expressions, looking like they were with this guy.
“You even dare to steal from me? You really don’t fear death!” Chen Wujun swept his fierce gaze around.
