Chapter 9, Wang Cheng, the Civet Cat, and Yuan Jing

Yuan Jing chuckled softly, releasing my hand and said, "Then we can just call each other by our names from now on"

The man smiled sarcastically and said, "Oh, so we should call it the Senior Activity Center, right, Director He?"

Although there were no firecrackers or flower baskets, the opening of our supermarket is indeed a significant event on Wangfu Street, neither too big nor too small. Many residents came to congratulate us, and I offered substantial discounts on various items for those who made purchases. For those with children, I distributed lollipops, making for a truly lively afternoon

Xiao Lu was speaking dismissively, her gaze blankly fixed on Wu Shuang, who responded with a charming smile: "Do your best."

I introduced a few of us to Wang Cheng, and then I brought him in front of Xiao Lu and said: "From now on, you will be colleagues. I wish you a pleasant time together"

In the evening, Aunt Meng arrived, stepping through the fragments of the setting sun. I quickly ran into the supermarket and brought out half a box of soy sauce, placing it in the old lady's arms, saying: "I was just waiting for you."

Aunt Meng slapped her forehead and exclaimed, "Oh dear, I forgot the important matter." As she spoke, she repeatedly waved her hand towards the door, saying, "Come in quickly, Officer Yuan."

The civet glanced at A Po, realizing that he was on the same side as me, and spoke with a harsh tone: "I, the civet, may fall, but my banner will not. You might still find a use for me someday." With that, he waved his hand at me, saying, "I'm leaving now; make sure your brother chooses his words carefully in the future." With that, he walked away.

I laughed and said, "If you continue to refuse the two bags of soy sauce, that would be bureaucratic."

I kicked behind Wushuang and said: "Get lost, stay away from this place in the future, especially when Xiao Lu is looking for money!"

I apologize, but we have already filled the positions

Xiao Hui looked at him and said, "It seems that you really need this job"

I waved my hand and said, "There is no need to speak so loudly in the future"

Apo curiously leaned in and squatted down, somewhat ingratiatingly saying: "Brother, can't you tell me which unit you were in before?"

The plump boss is rather dull and does not particularly enjoy chatting with others, always wearing a stern expression. The four of us basically dine at his place every day, not merely for convenience, but because he truly excels at cooking. I won't mention myself and A Po, but even Xiao Hui and Wu Shuang, who have high standards for their quality of life, cannot find any faults. Although the boss himself is quite greasy, the dishes he prepares possess an indescribable freshness that captivates our appetites.

Wushuang went to deliver to Xiaohui, while Xiaolv went to familiarize himself with the arrangement of goods on each shelf. Abo and I watched from the opposite side and saw Wang Cheng finish a bowl of noodles in just a few bites, then he shook his empty bowl at the boss and shouted: "Refill!"

The man, seeing that I was silent, spoke in a rough voice: "I mean no harm; we are neighbors, and you are in charge of this area. I came over to say hello, and in the future, we can hang out together. If you encounter any difficulties in the 'underworld,' just let me know. Since I am out here, this banner is still flying. We used to be in the same game, didn't we?" As he spoke, he twisted his shoulders back and forth, intending for me to see his tattoos.

Apo pouted, stood up, and left him, muttering softly: "Virtue!"

When I was explaining these matters, I kept feeling that there was someone at the supermarket entrance. That person seemed a bit impatient and softly called out: "Aunt Meng."

Wang Cheng relaxed his military posture and said somewhat dejectedly: "You may also say that I am not, that I did not retire in the usual manner, but—my former unit number and branch of service remain classified. I will not disclose them to you, and I ask that you respect my wishes and refrain from asking further."

I looked across and indeed saw the place he mentioned, where the faint sound of mahjong could be heard. It occurred to me that since I became the director of the neighborhood committee, that storefront had been closed all along. Today was the first time I saw it open, and unexpectedly, it turned out to be a mahjong parlor

Xiaohui wanted to say something else, but this person suddenly interjected: "I have only one condition: do not ask me any questions, do not ask me who I am, where I come from, or where I am going..."

Aunt Meng said with a beaming smile: "This girl is so beautiful; she looks just like a good daughter."

I thought for a moment and said to Xiaohui: "Don't we still need someone to handle miscellaneous tasks?"

... ...

As people gradually dispersed, a large bald man swaggered over from across the street, wearing a pure cotton tank top with two straps. He had a muscular build, and a blue tattoo was visible on his left shoulder, though the tank top obscured the details of the design.

Wang Cheng scoffed with a smile: "Is knowing all this enough?"

I said to Wang Cheng: "We are employing you. Your tasks will be to clean daily, to be responsible for carrying goods during restocking, and since you live in the store, we will also assign the night shift duties to you"

At that moment, Yuan Jing's phone rang. She answered it and, after hearing just one sentence, said nervously: "What, someone reported it to the police?"

I shook my head and said: "I don't know, he might be a sniper, often needing to lie in one place for three days to complete a mission."

Apo shivered: "I would rather be the target of a sniper than be a sniper myself"

Just released! The man said nonchalantly: "I got into a fight and lost one ear, and I served six months for it"

Apo laughed and said, "I have heard that in some places coffee can be refilled, but I have never heard of ramen in a small eatery being refillable."

Wang Chengli shouted repeatedly: "My task is to clean! To transport! To work the night shift! Understood!"

A shadow flickered at the door, and a beautiful female police officer entered briskly, dressed in a crisp police uniform, with a gleaming badge and a stylishly curled police cap. She appeared at ease, with her hands clasped behind her back, strolling in like a charming young girl out for a walk.

Aunt Meng, A Po, and I simultaneously said, "Isn't that our area?" We then looked at Yuan Jing together, only to see her expression changing unpredictably. Finally, she hesitantly said, "Well... then, I will go resolve it right away"

Apo was startled and quickly returned the documents to Wang Cheng, forcing a smile as he said, "Don't take it to heart, I was just joking. Are you really a soldier?"

Xiao Lu nodded vigorously, his gaze remained lost in thought

Oh. He said: "Is it really unnecessary to have anyone? I am willing to do anything, and my demands for treatment are very low."

In the end, the man said: "Later, everyone said this thing looked like a civet, so they started calling me civet."

Yuan Jing greeted me, and Chong A Po and Xiao Lu also nodded, as they were, after all, her subjects, and they would inevitably have dealings in the future. A Po exclaimed excitedly, "Wow? Are there really such beautiful police officers in this world? I thought they only existed in movies"

My name is He Anyi. She scrutinized me as I scrutinized her; she was indeed a beautiful girl, with almond-shaped eyes and long eyelashes, well-defined features, an upright figure, and a confident demeanor. Paired with that police uniform, she appeared strikingly impressive. I glanced at her shoulder: one stripe and one star, indicating that although she had not been in the police force for long, she was by no means a novice

Apo looked at me eagerly and said, "Can I hit him?"

This person is around thirty years old, robust and well-built, with large, round eyes that carry a hint of menace. He walked straight up to me, raised his chin, and asked: "Is this supermarket yours?"

At this moment, Wang Cheng seemed to be enjoying his meal, repeatedly raising his hand and calling for "more noodles." The bookish chubby guy ignored him and looked over at me. Upon seeing me nod, he finally served another bowl of noodles to Wang Cheng

The old lady is quite cunning; she has even rented out at the age of 80.

Building 2, Unit 2, No. 3, Wangfu Community? What is the situation?

I said: "Why have I never seen you before?"

Xiao Hui said: "We do not wish to take advantage of others' misfortunes; please state your demands."

After she entered, she smiled and glanced at me, then took the initiative to extend her hand. Aunt Meng quickly introduced, "Director Xiao He, this is our new Officer Yuan. In the future, you two should discuss matters together."

There is nothing more to say, I said: "He is definitely a special forces soldier, and of the particularly elite kind! Three days without food is equivalent to one meal that sustains for three days"

The man nodded expressionlessly and turned around to point, saying: "That 'Four Friends' Mahjong Hall is run by me; feel free to come and play whenever you have time"

We have a cashier now, so we are preparing to dismantle the stall, moving tables and stools. Xiaohui took Xiaolu to the counter and taught her how to use the scanner

The man suddenly felt embarrassed and said: "At first, I wanted to get a wolf tattoo, but the mouth turned out too short. Then I thought about changing it to a fox, but the claws ended up too long. Later, I decided to go for a mountain leopard, but the belly turned out too big..."

Xiao Hui said to Wang Cheng: "I will contact the supplier now and take you to buy daily necessities in the afternoon"

Aunt Meng readily said: "Alright, you can stay at my place. All the appliances are ready, and you will pay for your own utilities. Since Director He has spoken, let's set the rent at 100 yuan per month."

Wang Cheng glanced at him and coldly looked elsewhere, saying: "You'd better not know; it would not be good for you"

At that moment, Wang Cheng, who had been sitting on the steps basking in the sun, suddenly said lightly, "Don't worry, if he wants to cause trouble, I will help you deal with him." This startled both me and A Po—why didn't he even clear his throat before speaking?

Aunt Meng hurriedly said: "Oh dear, how could I possibly have so much?"

Wang Cheng could no longer tolerate it; he suddenly shouted, "You are now insulting a soldier!" At this point, Wang Cheng instinctively straightened his posture, with his toes at a 60-degree angle, legs tightly together, arms naturally hanging down, and his middle fingers touching the seams of his trousers, presenting a perfectly standard position of attention.

However, I cannot say much; if Xiao Lu wants to avoid being bullied, renting Aunt Meng's house is a shortcut

It was only then that we realized: the vest he was wearing, which was indiscernible in color, was precisely the type worn during military training.

The civet's expression changed, and he said solemnly: "My name is Gao Shan, you can just call me Brother Shan from now on"

I indeed took a glance and saw that it was adorned with a gaudy pattern featuring an animal, with short ears and a short mouth. Its eyes were round and lively, and four slender claws were attached to its plump body, ... trailing behind was a fox tail ...

Apo said: "We do not care where you come from, but we must know where you are going—if you are going to take all our goods, where are we supposed to find you?"

Are there any such troops besides deserters now?

Wang Cheng immediately straightened his body and, finding it somewhat difficult to speak, said: "Those matters are not urgent; could you... take me to eat first"

The anger flashed across his face, but he quickly calmed down and dejectedly took out an ID card to hand to A Po. It seemed that he also pulled out another document, but he immediately alertly withdrew it.

I have never seen this person before, and I regard him with a certain air of defiance, smiling as I say: "Indeed."

We all couldn't help but perk up our ears

Is it acceptable to stay in the hotel

I reached out my hand despite being busy, and Officer Yuan looked at me with interest for a moment and said, "My name is Yuan Jing"

... ... 800 yuan for one month, please find me a place to live

I pointed to the small eatery across the street and said, "Go there and eat whatever you like, just say to put it on my tab; this meal is on me"

Apo said coldly: "Who are you, brother?" I hurriedly waved my hand at him.

I looked for a long time but couldn't figure out what kind of animal this was. Not wanting to offend it rashly, I could only stammer, "What you have is..."

Eating is easy to resolve, but what about urination and defecation

Little Green timidly said, "Understood"

Apo took the ID card and said, "Wang Cheng, from Sichuan?"

I pulled Aunt Meng aside and said flatteringly, "You must help her out; this girl still doesn't have a place to stay. Don't you have a small bungalow..."

Wushuang chuckled softly, "Moreover, it seems that he is a soldier with a story."

At this moment, a person walked in from outside, wearing a vest that was neither distinctly yellow nor brown. He was of short stature, and his crew cut had become somewhat disheveled due to a lack of grooming over time. He appeared to be around thirty years old, with a face full of fatigue. Upon entering, he hoarsely asked: "Are you the ones hiring?"

Wang Cheng finished the sixth bowl of noodles before finally putting down his bowl and chopsticks. He walked back, nodded at us, and said, "Thank you, I am full. Call me if there is work to be done." After saying this, he sat down on the steps at the entrance of the supermarket, hugging his legs and basking in the sun, with an indescribable sense of loneliness on his face

Wang Cheng shook Xiao Lu's hand and said, "From now on, we are comrades in arms"

This is for you; after all, this item cannot go bad, so take your time enjoying it

The small diner is a modest restaurant on our street, with only four or five tables. The only person bustling about is the plump owner, who serves as both the proprietor and the chef, as well as the server. Only his wife occasionally comes to lend a hand.

I shook my head slightly, feeling that the civet cat's visit this time might not be malicious. Of course, there is a mix of seven parts alliance and three parts establishing authority, as he said—after all, we are people of the jianghu.

... ...

Wang Cheng said solemnly and loudly: "I apologize for being accustomed to it, but I will change!"

She noticed me looking at her police rank, and her smile became even more pronounced as she said, "Director He, I have long admired your reputation, but I am not a police officer; you can just call me Yuan Jing."

Apo hesitated and stared at him for a long time, always feeling uneasy. Finally, he asked, "You aren't a fugitive, are you?" Such a heartless question could only be asked by him

Aunt Meng, holding the box, said apologetically: "What kind of talk is this? This is not good for our reputation..."

... ... can.

... as Wang Cheng continued to the fourth bowl, A Po said to me: "Do you think this kid looks like a soldier?"

I scratched my head and said, "In relation to the task, such trivial matters can be handled in the pants, right?"

I said, "You can call me He Anyi; if you insist on calling me Director He, that works too." I certainly knew why she was looking at me and smiling—she must have never seen a young man serving as a neighborhood committee director before. By the way, this girl has a bit of a dark side.

Aunt Meng finally accepted this. I brought out Xiao Lu and said: "This is Aunt Meng. From now on, whatever she buys will be at cost price."

Wang Cheng rolled the noodles into small piles with his chopsticks and stuffed them into his mouth, poured the soup down his neck, and raised the empty bowl, shouting: "Refill the bowl!"

The person leaned against the door and weakly said: "Yes"

The tattoo artist's skills are somewhat rough; it is likely that before doing tattoos, he worked as a graphic designer for "Miscellaneous Discussions and Strange Theories"

When greeting Wang Cheng, this mysterious person merely nodded slightly, as if he did not particularly like the police

I was wondering why it looked so familiar! This thing was often featured in the promotional posters during the SARS outbreak!

Apo whispered to Xiaohui: "What do you think? Why not try it out for a while? At worst, we might lose some goods, but it's hard to find something cheaper than this."