Chapter 117: Follow-up
His fingertips tapped on the desk with a rhythmic “thump thump thump,” filling the entire room with a tense atmosphere.
Even Jin Biao, his most trusted right-hand man who had seen many big scenes, couldn’t help but break out in a layer of fine sweat on his forehead.
Don’t let his name fool you into thinking he’s polite and refined, with the appearance of a jade-faced scholar before his face was scarred, but anyone who has witnessed his ruthless methods and knows his true nature can’t help but feel chills?
Just when he thought, as in the past, that the longer the silence, the more fiercely the eventual outburst of anger would erupt, Yan Bin, the leader, unexpectedly spoke up.
“Biao Zi, I’m afraid we’ve been targeted.”
From home to the old lair, the abandoned house cellar that had been checked once before now required another visit due to these successive incidents, and sure enough… as expected.
The initial anger that burned ever more fiercely directly peaked, and that momentary blankness suddenly calmed him down.
Who exactly was it? Besides his own family, who else in Gu City had such heaven-defying means and influence?
All this huge commotion just for money?
No, absolutely impossible!
Thinking of the things recorded in that booklet, Yan Bin stopped his hand movements, took a deep breath forcefully, “Biao Zi, send someone to the contact point to arrange a meeting with Master Feng as soon as possible, and by the way, inventory and clear out all the remaining things, prepare them well.”
He didn’t explicitly say what to prepare, but Jin Biao understood the implication.
He couldn’t help but look at him in shock, “Brother Bin, do you mean… we’re abandoning the turf we fought so hard for?”
Yan Bin didn’t answer directly, but waved his hand signaling him to do it, leaving no room for discussion.
Looking at Jin Biao’s indignant expression as if he wanted to devour someone, he only said one sentence.
“The premise is that you have to be alive to enjoy it!”
If that thing was really reported, not to mention those in the shadows, even the people behind him would first try to get him killed.
Did he really want to give up these things, the black market turf?
But compared to life, what were they? If not giving up, what else could be done? As long as he was alive, worst case he could start over with the brothers.
Absolutely don’t give him a chance to drag out those people in the shadows!
He would definitely make them know what it means to regret it too late, neither life nor death, and properly experience the top ten tortures of the Manchu Qing.
“By the way, Brother Bin.”
After inner struggle and hesitation, Jin Biao had no choice but to follow his orders, but just as he was about to leave the study, he suddenly remembered something and turned back immediately.
“San Zi and the others were caught at the station, should we ask Master Feng to bail them out while we’re at it?”
After all, this small matter was just a phone call for Master Feng, much faster than handling it themselves.
Since they were preparing to inventory goods, or even withdraw, naturally the more people the better.
“What happened? Didn’t Tian Tian say it was just a little woman, and teaching someone a lesson got them locked up?”
Wasn’t this day chaotic enough already!
“News from the outside subordinates says it seems the eldest young master of the Qiao family suddenly intervened.”
“Qiao family?”
Yan Bin pinched his brow hard, suddenly feeling mentally exhausted, “If no one’s seriously hurt, try to handle it through our own connections. As for the Qiao family and Master Feng, you don’t worry about that first, just hurry and do what I said.”
Home was about to be gone, and he was still thinking about groveling around like grandsons everywhere, hmph.
“I got it, Brother Bin.”
……
Peach Blossom Spring Space, small courtyard.
“Achoo!”
Su Ning rubbed her slightly sore and itchy nose back and forth with her index finger.
Who else in the middle of the night would curse her without sleeping, besides Yan Bin’s group?
“Get to work, let’s start!”
That bit of sleepiness was shaken off by the sudden sneeze. She glanced at the time, got up to wash her face with cold water.
The icy water splashing on her face immediately made her shiver all over.
She quickly changed into a plainer, more rustic set of plain clothes and pants. When braiding her hair, she didn’t use a hairpin and even deliberately tousled her bangs a bit to let more stray hairs cover her entire brow and eyes.
As for her pale, reflective skin, she applied a non-toxic, harmless herb that turned it into a dull yellow, then dotted some small freckles on both sides of her nose with a pen.
Looking at herself in the small glass mirror, completely different from usual, even someone very familiar would only feel a tiny bit familiar at first glance, with no particular association.
Satisfied, she nodded, picked up the things she had busied with all night on the desk, and flashed out of the space.
The moment she came out, Su Ning vigilantly looked around, and only after confirming no one was there did she quickly leave with light steps.
The moon had completely hidden behind the clouds, with only a trace of grayish white on the horizon. In the quiet alley, occasional chicken crows and dog barks could be heard.
Without the guiding lights of every household, she could only grope in the dark by feel toward the alley exit.
Only when she reached the main street with streetlight illumination did her held breath ease slightly.
She took out the bicycle from the space and sped toward the city government direction.
Before the sky fully brightened, she finally succeeded in stuffing the report letter into the mailbox.
For safety, several other important departments also received letters with the same content from her as she slipped in quietly.
Of course, the one left for Uncle Luo was the most comprehensive, Yan Bin’s original handwritten booklet.
She trusted Luo Fosen’s character; entrusting this to him was the most reassuring.
After placing the items, handling the traces, climbing down the long ladder, and storing the ladder back in the space, Su Ning didn’t choose to leave immediately.
Instead, she picked a spot with a relatively good view where she could see the city government building at a glance and waited.
The sky gradually brightened; streets first saw cleaning workers bustling about, then gradually more elderly people and women heading out early to buy vegetables.
Patiently waiting until she saw city government staff arriving successively for work, including that familiar figure, she finally relaxed completely and got up to leave.
Hiding in the public toilet, she changed back to her daily outfit in the space, washed off the medicine on her face, and came out in an extremely cheerful mood to ride her bicycle home.
……
“Ning Ning!”
“Sister-in-law? Where are you headed?”
“It’s all because I was worried about you. Is this you just getting back?”
Tian Xiang hadn’t slept the entire night, tossing and turning in worry and fear, thinking she’d check again early in the morning and if the person hadn’t returned, she’d go to the station to report a case.
When she reached the courtyard gate, the big lock was still hanging there unopened. With her heart sinking completely, Tian Xiang didn’t dare delay another moment and turned straight to run out of the alley.
Unexpectedly, she collided right with Su Ning who was riding back.
Both relieved and angry, her tone inevitably excited and louder, “Why didn’t you come home this late at night? You nearly scared me to death. Did something happen?”
Without a word, Tian Xiang grabbed her hand and only then noticed the newly scabbed injury marks on her exposed arm, calf, and even face.
The worry and anxiety in her eyes nearly overflowed, “This, this, what exactly happened, Ning Ning?”
“Sister-in-law, don’t worry. I just ran into a group of little punks. Luckily, comrades from the factory helped, and kind people reported to the police in time, so nothing serious.”
She couldn’t mention the Yan family or Yan Bin, so Su Ning could only downplay the previous incident with a well-intentioned lie.
“I went to the hospital, made a statement, waited for the involved comrade to wake up, that’s why I didn’t come back or tell you. Sorry, sister-in-law, for worrying you.”
“What did this group of punks want? Wasn’t the lesson from your Brother Zhang last time enough? Truly damnable things!”
Tian Xiang didn’t suspect anything, after all, the wounds had red medicinal water from hospital treatment.
She just felt heartbroken and scared; why did her man have to run into this right after a long trip.
“Still, listen to your Brother Zhang. From today, sister-in-law will go to work with you. This is too scary!”
“Really no need, sister-in-law. They’re all locked up and can’t get out for a while, no need to worry.”
“Come on, hurry home and rest. Sister-in-law will check if you have more injuries. There’s medicine your Brother Zhang prepared at home; I’ll get it for you and by the way take Little Round Circle back.”
The two walked side by side toward home, mingled with a curse or two from Tian Xiang and Su Ning’s gentle soothing voice.
Meanwhile that day, because of the report letters she left, which were successively opened and examined, the entire city government building broke its tranquility and fell into unprecedented busyness.
One by one, inspectors wearing hats began swiftly summoning the suspects into the bureau for tea based on the report content.
