Chapter 201: I Didn’t Steal!
In the rickshaw, Cao Weida smoked while watching the scenery retreating around him, recalling the conversation in the private room just now.
Cao Weida suddenly smiled, a contemptuous smirk at the corner of his mouth: “Really self-smart, huh? This is the future Lou Bancheng?”
Although Lou Zhenhua appeared refined and mild-mannered, Cao Weida could see that the other man was extremely arrogant at heart.
Judging from the characteristics in the TV series, Lou Zhenhua was shrewd in small matters but lacked decisiveness in major ones.
With such a personality, once he took a wrong step, he was bound to suffer a major setback.
“Looks like the Lou family later being called Lou Bancheng was mostly his dad scheming behind the scenes. Whatever, no matter what the future holds, it has nothing to do with me.”
At that moment, the rickshaw suddenly stopped, and a burst of noisy shouting and cursing from ahead caught his attention.
He saw about a dozen thugs rushing out of a dance hall, beating up a skinny boy on the street with fists and kicks.
“Look look look, what are you looking at! Never seen someone get beaten? Get lost quick! Go back to your mother!”
Seeing many people stopping to watch around them, a man who seemed to be the thugs’ leader cursed at the onlookers who had gathered.
Seeing the boy beaten until his face was covered in blood, Cao Weida’s face darkened instantly. He stopped the rickshaw and strode forward to intervene:
“All of you, stop! What are you doing!”
“Which rat hole did this mouse crawl out of to meddle here?” The leader looked contemptuously at Cao Weida, pointing a club at him, his arrogant demeanor on full display.
“If you don’t want to end up like him, get lost quick! Or else, we’ll beat you too!”
Cao Weida was so angry he laughed. Good grief, this arrogant?
Was this still his jurisdiction?
There were still such bold people around?
Seeing the thugs showing no sign of stopping and still punching and kicking the boy, Cao Weida shouted sternly:
“I told you to stop, didn’t you hear!!”
This time the thugs did stop, but they all turned hostile glares at Cao Weida in unison: “Who do you think you are? If you keep yelling, believe we’ll kill you!”
Cao Weida’s forehead veins throbbed. Could this old man really be the protagonist?
Otherwise, why were these little villains jumping out one after another?
It was truly bizarre. He had always been strict with jurisdiction management, yet such reckless thugs still appeared!
At that moment, a noisy voice came: “Make way, make way! Everyone make way! What’s going on! Move to the side!”
Immediately after, the onlookers were pushed aside to clear a path, and a patrolman holding a police baton walked in.
After glancing at the bloodied boy on the ground, he couldn’t help frowning and said discontentedly to the leader: “I say Brother Hu, in broad daylight, what are you doing? Beating someone on the street, isn’t that too arrogant?”
“All of you stop and stand aside!”
The group of thugs shrugged and all looked toward the leader called Brother Hu.
Brother Hu picked his nose casually and waved dismissively: “Didn’t you hear the officer? All stand to the side properly.”
Times were different now. If it were before, he wouldn’t have paid any attention to this stinking patrolman.
But now it was different. Ever since that bastard Cao Weida took power, the good days for thugs like them were over, and they could only tuck tail and behave every day.
Hearing the boss’s order, the thugs moved perfunctorily to the side.
But as they walked, each still gave the boy a kick.
This made Cao Weida furious again. These guys were truly lawless!
Who was the sergeant here, actually indulging these good-for-nothing ruffians like this?!
“You, come here.” Cao Weida pointed at the patrolman and ordered.
At first, the patrolman was displeased. Patrolmen had turned things around now; they weren’t the stinking patrolmen anyone could boss around like before. Yet someone was daring to speak to him in a commanding tone.
He was just about to scold, but upon seeing Cao Weida’s face, he was shocked and hurried over: “Master Cao, how come you’re here?”
“Good thing I came, otherwise I wouldn’t know there were still such arrogant good-for-nothing ruffians on my turf!” Cao Weida shot a hostile glance at the thugs. “Who is your sergeant, which team!”
The patrolman didn’t dare slack and quickly replied: “Reporting to Master Cao, our sergeant is Si Jicai, third team.”
“That bastard, I gave him the sergeant position just for him to manage public order like this?!” Cao Weida was extremely annoyed at this point.
This man was someone he had promoted from patrolman not long ago. What he valued about Si Jicai was his good character; he had never colluded with the likes of them and was quite kind to the people.
Now seeing the street public order under his management like this, he was naturally angry.
After all, the man was someone he had personally promoted!
The patrolman hurriedly explained: “Master Cao, don’t be angry. This really isn’t the sergeant’s fault. Mainly these good-for-nothing ruffians are too cunning.”
Cao Weida got even angrier. Do you think it’s the new society now with such sound laws?
Knowing they were good-for-nothing ruffians, yet still talking rules with them!
Hearing the patrolman’s order, they still dared to arrogantly kick the boy each—clearly used to being arrogant daily!
With people like this, what rules to talk about!
In chaotic times, use chaotic times methods!
Dare to act like ruffians? No matter their excuses, beat them first, then arrest and interrogate!
That guy Si Jicai was too honest, not knowing how to be flexible at all!
“You, go call your sergeant and have him roll over here immediately!”
“Yes, yes.” The patrolman nodded hurriedly and quickly ran out through the crowd.
Cao Weida went forward and pulled up the beaten boy. “You okay? What exactly happened? Why did they beat you?”
Before the boy could speak, that Brother Hu said lazily: “So you’re the famous Master Cao. Pleased to meet you.”
“You always enforce the law impartially with a great reputation. Just right, trouble you to arrest this thief and teach him a lesson, best lock him up for a few months to let him learn. Save him coming to our Mingyue Dance Hall to make trouble again!”
Upon hearing the patrolman call him Master Cao, Brother Hu was startled inside.
But he quickly calmed down. So what about Cao Weida? Could he arrest without cause?
Besides, Mingyue Dance Hall wasn’t without backing!
Thief?
Cao Weida frowned at the boy. Could this boy not be a good sort either?
But seeing his hands, he immediately dismissed that idea.
Thief?
Bullshit!
His hands were rough and short, clearly from long-term manual labor. Which thief has hands like that!
“You’re talking nonsense! I didn’t steal anything, I’m not a thief! I came to find my sister. You took my sister!!” The boy, though covered in blood and bruised, still showed stubbornness on his face.
At these words, Cao Weida’s face changed instantly, and he turned to look at Mingyue Dance Hall.
In his jurisdiction, someone dared to be so bold as to traffic girls?!
Just a few days ago there had been a crackdown action in the Outer Fifth District, and now someone dared to defy it?!
Still in his jurisdiction!!
Brother Hu snorted twice through his nose disdainfully: “You say you didn’t steal so you didn’t? If you didn’t steal, why were you sneaking around my dance hall?”
“Also, I warn you, you can eat anything but can’t talk nonsense. Our Mingyue Dance Hall is legitimate business, never forcing buys or sells.”
As he spoke, he approached Cao Weida and subtly slipped a gold bar into his hand, whispering:
“Master Cao, we’re all out here making a living. Give some face, hurry and take the guy away. We still need to open for business.”
The boy was close by and heard this, immediately getting agitated and struggling to rush into the dance hall: “Let me go, I want to find my sister!”
But before he could charge, Brother Hu slapped him across the face: “You damn, don’t appreciate the favor, I’ll fuck”
Thud~
“Ah~~”
Brother Hu crashed heavily to the ground, clutching his stomach and wailing.
Cao Weida withdrew his fist and walked over expressionlessly, kicking him in the ribs.
Crack~~
The sound of bone breaking came, Brother Hu’s face instantly paling, large sweat beads popping out on his forehead.
“Damn it, daring to beat someone right in front of me? Got some guts!” Cao Weida looked at him coldly, his eyes devoid of emotion.
Just from this grandson’s actions earlier, he could basically confirm they were indeed trafficking girls here!
This ignited fury in his heart instantly. The country was already struggling, the people suffering enough, yet these damn parasites still harmed their own compatriots—utterly unforgivable!!
“Brother Hu!”
“Master Cao, you’re going too far!”
“Let Brother Hu go quick!”
Seeing the boss beaten, the younger brothers panicked immediately, yelling and trying to move forward.
But after just two steps, they were frozen by Cao Weida’s cold glare, not daring to advance half a step more.
After intimidating the thugs, Cao Weida turned his gaze back to Brother Hu lying pale on the ground.
“Daring to openly bribe—that alone lets me conclude the boy had basis for his words!”
“Daring to do this on my turf, you really don’t take Cao Weida seriously!”
Lying on the ground, Brother Hu feeling the pain in his ribs, met Cao Weida’s eyes and said toughly despite the pain:
“Master Cao, aren’t you going too far? We mind our own business. You can refuse what I give, but you can’t slander the innocent without cause!”
“Our Mingyue Dance Hall has always obeyed rules and law. You can’t take a little nobody’s one-sided word and fabricate charges!”
Clearly touching a sore spot, Brother Hu grimaced, then warned darkly: “You know, Mingyue Dance Hall isn’t just me, and you’re not alone either!”
“You’ve beaten and scolded, should be over your anger now. I guarantee, today it’s as if you never came, this never happened. How about it?”
