Chapter 5
"If I can draw a line on your head, I can split it open. Today, I simply do not wish to stoop to your level." The old lady slowly sat back down, sighed, and asked, "Do you know which street and which shop that person is from?"
Upon hearing Boss Meng speak, she nodded ghost-like, said nothing, and turned to leave
After shouting, he took long strides to chase after Gan Qing. The bald man rushed to the intersection, which was only about five or six steps, and in the blink of an eye, he had passed by. However, in that brief moment, the woman from before had once again vanished into thin air
After speaking, he waved his hand to one side, deliberately avoiding looking at Gan Qing, and feigned a casual demeanor to send her away: "Ganer, you have no business here, you may leave now, and be careful on your way back"
Fifteen minutes later, Ganqing salvaged her simple luggage and squatted on the curb by the roadside, holding a boiled corn— the corn was also given to her by her owl roommate, and it was quite sweet
The bald man was taken aback: "Ah? Oh, a little brat working as a waitress in a small shop, today she meddled in affairs that don't concern her and attracted the police. I want to catch up with her and give her a good beating"
The bald man clearly saw her fingers, and he shivered, breaking out in a cold sweat
The bald man muttered unwillingly: "A girl as thin as a bundle of firewood..."
The incessant chatter, the sorrow of time slipping away from me
Yu Lanchuan exhaled through his nose, thinking: "Where did this firewood girl come from? She can't even speak properly"
The bald man no longer dared to speak, and the other two men also lowered their heads to listen to the reprimand
The bald man glared fiercely at Gan Qing's back for a moment before lifting his foot to chase after her. He was a burly figure, standing nearly 1.9 meters tall, yet he walked without making a sound.
Before he could finish his words, the elderly lady suddenly leaned forward and reached out to wipe a spot on the bald man's temple, removing a layer of faint grime that, upon closer inspection, resembled the ash from a barbecue stall
The milky-white streetlights lined up behind her, slender lamp posts stretching gracefully like a row of swans dancing, extending along the wide road, gently undulating, stringing together the scattered lights of countless homes
The narrow path in the back alley of the muddy pond resembles a maze. At this time, apart from the street lined with outdoor barbecues, all other places have fallen silent. Even the night breeze, as it sweeps by, seems to have slowed down a bit. The aging streetlights flicker according to one's mood, with some even blinking intermittently. As one walks through, the sound of footsteps echoes slightly with a heavier tread.
Suddenly, an indescribable shiver coursed through his entire body, followed by an unnatural wind that rushed towards his temple. The bald man realized with horror that he had no time to evade or block it. A sharp pain shot through his temple, and his mind buzzed with the thought: "It's over"
The limping man, who had been silent beside us, muttered, "The master’s wife is staying at the inn; the three of us can just make do outside for a night, after all, it’s not cold in summer"
She walked more slowly, her steps more sluggish, because when she was trying to avoid that bald man, she had run a bit too hastily, causing the plastic strap on her left flip-flop to snap off by more than half, leaving less than half a centimeter precariously attached. She feared that if she lifted her foot, she would have to hop back on one foot today.
The bald man's heart began to race, instinctively bending his knees and raising his elbows, with both hands protecting his head, holding his breath, and vigilantly scanning the surroundings.
Uncertain if it was due to the fear of walking alone at night, Ganqing deliberately dragged her slippers on the ground and began to hum a song
On this night, it truly is a case of coincidence being too perfect to be mere chance
Gan Qing seemed to be startled by him, standing stiffly in place, and cautiously turned her head to ask: "Did you call me?"
Where is the person
The bald man said in a low voice: "I know, it's on the street where all the barbecue stalls are."
The bald man slightly tightened his chin, his footsteps quickening, fists clenched, with grotesque muscles and veins bulging on his arms
The moment Yu Lanchuan spoke, Gan Qing took half a step back, retreating from the light, and her already low presence was almost completely diminished.
On this day, as Gan Qing hummed "Mountain Hills" while walking home, she discovered that "home" was no longer there
At this time, Ganqing also returned to her "home"
The bald man took a breath and approached his companion: "Haven't all the fees been paid? How can they just say we can't stay? There is no such reasoning. I will go find them!"
Overall, she feels that her little nest is inexpensive, clean, and conveniently close to her workplace, making it quite satisfactory and a great value for money
The old lady seemed to be somewhat moved, reaching out to grasp the small bundle beside her. After a moment of contemplation, she sighed again and shook her head.
"Enough!" The old lady slightly raised her voice, interrupting him, "What did I tell you when you were at home? In Yan Ning, there are hidden talents everywhere. When you encounter someone of the same kind, be cautious. Don't think too highly of yourself, you are just a frog at the bottom of a well!"
Those who engage in opportunistic behavior and those who meddle in others' affairs, the overconfident and the discreet, all find themselves on different paths leading to the same destination, pondering where they should spend the night amidst the gloomy clouds of despair
The old lady nodded slightly: "Since she hasn't harmed anyone today, it means she intends to refrain from meddling in matters that do not concern her, except for those right at her doorstep. In the future, just avoid her and that will suffice"
After finishing the call, he could not spare the time to trouble Gan Qing again and hurriedly ran off
At that moment, Yu Lanchuan clearly saw her appearance, and a wave of disappointment washed over him, as the memories that had been surging in his heart suddenly evaporated
However, the bloody scene of having his skull pierced that he had anticipated did not occur. The bald man was stunned for a while before realizing that not even the oil skin on his head had been broken. In confusion, he reached out to touch it, finding his well-formed head securely resting on his neck.
At this moment, the sound of "tap-tap" slippers echoed once again, coming from behind him
Uh... not really... isn't it too dark? I'm not as familiar with the area as she is, and I got lost halfway, I guess it's her luck...
He must reserve his limited patience to serve the clients, and he is quite impatient with this kind of "three-legged kick can't produce a fart" type of person. He restrainedly nodded and no longer paid attention to this passerby, lifting his leg to enter the "Tianyi Crawfish" restaurant
From a distance, seeing those familiar streetlights at the entrance of her home, Ganqing finally breathed a sigh of relief and decided to borrow a pair of slippers from her roommate to make do for a couple of days
As a young woman, Gan Qing could not help but steal a glance at the young man who was openly displaying himself on the street. After taking a look, she felt that this physique, with its ample chest and slender waist, was not excessive to showcase.
After a while, Scarface broke the silence: "Master's wife, it is not a solution for us to stay here all the time. If it really doesn't work out, shall we stay at a hotel today?"
The bald man suddenly turned around and saw the meddlesome "cashier" sauntering past the intersection behind him. She had her hands in her pockets, barely lifting her feet, walking in a staggered manner, not casting a glance in his direction.
The clerk who was tidying up the table was startled by the fierce-looking man, taking a sudden step back and widening his eyes. The bald man did not bother to pick a fight; instead, he scanned the room and walked towards a table in the corner—there sat an elderly woman, who appeared to be underage, along with two other men. The three of them had ordered a small pack of fries, but no one was eating, as if it were merely for show, with bulging luggage piled at their feet.
She currently resides in an illegal shared rental, where eight small compartments have been created using partitions. Each compartment contains a bunk bed, accommodating two people. Most of her roommates are female, and they have agreed not to smoke in the common areas, nor does anyone neglect to flush the toilet, so it remains relatively clean. As for the girl living in the upper bunk, who comes and goes at all hours, it is merely a trivial matter. Ganqing is someone who can fall asleep even in a bridge underpass, so she is not bothered by such disturbances.
Thus, whether it be the "owls" of their group who are active at night or the "larks" who rise early, all were driven out onto the streets
The bald man searched for a while in the alley like a headless fly, but he couldn't find a single footprint. Just as he was feeling lucky, his phone rang in his pocket. He took it out and saw that his tone had inexplicably dropped by eight degrees, almost becoming gentle: "Hello, Master’s wife... Me? I was in that small alley this afternoon, and just now I happened to see the police... What did you say?"
Gan Qing replied in a somewhat wooden manner: "No, no need to be polite"
Just lose yourself first
Unfortunately, in this day and age, items that are of good quality and low price often come with other issues—such as being illegal
Creepy
Gan Qing was completely unaware as she turned the corner of the narrow alley. On the quiet path, there were only the dragging footsteps of plastic slippers and a somewhat hoarse female voice singing: "Over the hills, though my hair has turned white..."
The bald man suddenly dashed across the intersection, but immediately, he slammed on the brakes—before him lay a dead end, pitch black, with nothing but a discarded shared bicycle.
Is it really necessary to strive for fashion so hard in such a rundown place filled with gutter oil and ash flying everywhere
As she walked to the most shadowed area, a figure emerged from the path she had just passed—if Liu Zhongqi were present, he would recognize that this person was one of the three men who had extorted him, the bald one
Yu Lanchuan had not paid her much attention, but habitually glanced with his peripheral vision and happened to catch a glimpse of a vague silhouette. His heart skipped a beat, and he instinctively called out to her: "Wait a moment."
After leaving the alley behind the mud pit and crossing two intersections, a bald man, drenched in sweat, rushed into a McDonald's
Still have not seen the immortal as desired
The old lady asked: "Have you caught up?"
The bald man was about to speak when the old lady suddenly looked up at him and said, "Who have you encountered?"
"I saw you once in Rongxian Alley when I was a child." Yu Lanchuan lowered his head, his gaze sweeping over Boss Meng's hands—Boss Meng's hands were thick and sturdy, a result of years spent cooking, with a bit of grease on them, yet the skin was exceptionally delicate, smooth as jade, truly unlike the hands of a middle-aged man—meeting Boss Meng's bewildered gaze, Yu Lanchuan subtly introduced himself, saying, "My surname is Yu"
Gan Qing thought: "Startled and alarmed, the Yu family must have had their ancestral grave disturbed, resulting in someone going mad"
"It's nothing," he said, his expression becoming more subdued as he spoke in a distant and polite manner, "It was my younger brother who was stopped by them today, and I would like to express my gratitude to you."
Her wide-open eyes were filled with panic and unease, her shoulders were tense, trembling as if she were a frightened wild rabbit
She walked hurriedly with her head down, like an inconspicuous shadow
Since there was no one around, the bald man decided to stop hiding and shouted, "Stop right there!"
As he let out that shout, both the singing and the sound of footsteps vanished simultaneously, leaving only the soft whisper of the night wind around, rustling and sneaky
The melody of the song has not yet faded, echoing through the alley, resonating from all directions. A layer of cold sweat breaks out on the bald man's back: "Which gang are you from? Stop pretending to be mysterious!"
The small table fell silent for a moment, with four people and eight eyes fixed on the fries on the table. The fries had already cooled down, and the oil seeping out had soaked through the paper bag. No one moved, as they lay there forlornly, while nearby were several packets of ketchup, licked clean, haphazardly strewn across the table.
Oh, you! Meng Tianyi straightened her slightly bent waist and then lowered her voice, "You... please sit in the shop, come in."
Just now, it seemed as if the wind had swept up small pebbles, which happened to strike his face.
Meng Tianyi and Gan Qing's faces went blank for a moment simultaneously
A group of people carrying pots, bowls, and pans gathered at the bottom of the building. Ganqing encountered her roommate among them, who handed her a pair of slippers and informed her that Yan City had recently launched a new round of strict enforcement against shared rental housing. Their rented accommodation had been sealed off, and they had to move immediately, unable to stay overnight
They refunded the money to us," said the scar-faced man beside him, calling out, "Senior Brother," and added, "There was no way around it; someone suddenly came to inspect today, and the landlord didn't know what was going on, so he dared not rent it out.