Chapter 4: The First Encounter of Rivals

A woman took out a short stick-like object from the car and questioned in an annoyed tone: "What are you doing?"

"What do you mean by calling you out? I called for you, where did I call for him?" Tan Xuan thought to himself in frustration. However, since the person had already come out, he could not push them back in. It was better to leave this place of trouble first; otherwise, if the police really came, it would not be easy to leave.

"Indeed, today is quite wicked," Lao Sun nodded in agreement

Just as Tan Xuan was unbuttoning his pants, a sudden light illuminated the surroundings, followed by a burst of delicate reprimands

Hello! What are you doing

Who says there is no one? Whom are you calling inhuman? I have been here for quite some time.

Tan Xuan agreed and then drove away. As for Qian Bo's matter, he did not say much more, after all, the other party was in high spirits, and pouring cold water on it would only be counterproductive. Now, he could only take it one step at a time. As for where to go for leisure in the evening, Tan Xuan had little interest. No matter how high-end the bathhouse was, it was still just a bathhouse. He had already scrubbed himself clean last night, and scrubbing again tonight would not just mean losing dirt but rather skin and flesh. Moreover, he kept a respectful distance from the other services recommended by Qian Bo, fearing that he would get dirty, which was something that could never be scrubbed clean. Last night, when enjoying special services with Qian Bo, he insisted on choosing a foot massage, which seemed to have caused the technician serving him to harbor resentment for receiving less commission. As a result, the technician not only massaged with care but also with extra force, leaving Tan Xuan feeling some swelling and pain in the soles of his feet when he pressed the accelerator.

Qian Bo gave Tan Xuan a light pat and said, "Enough with the sarcastic remarks. Today, you will not be treated unfairly. Let's go and wash away the bad luck on you."

"Then why aren't you driving properly? What are you doing here?" The woman scrutinized Tan Xuan from the side, her tone quite stern.

You... the woman thought about it and realized the same reasoning, no longer continuing to blame, "Get lost, leave here immediately"

Upon reaching an intersection, Tan Xuan turned off the road and then dialed Qian Bo's number. Without needing that woman to say anything, he could guess with his intuition what actions the police were taking; he was well aware of the group of people involved in illegal activities nearby, which included Qian Bo. He did not expect the police to be so vigilant, managing to uncover this so quickly, and he couldn't help but lament that Qian Bo's luck was quite unfortunate, as he had only just arrived the day before and was already in trouble.

The woman lifted her head, revealing a face that matched her figure under the night sky, and impatiently said: "You don't need to know what I do, just don't get in the way here, hurry up and get lost, don't delay the police's actions for a moment."

By the time Tan Xuan returned to that street, it was already late. All the spots along the street had been taken by other vehicles. There was no choice; he could only park further away and in a more secluded area, but he still had to ensure that he could see the entrance of that apartment, lest he miss seeing Qian Bo come out or be carried out by someone.

The name "Nanguan Beijiang" is not without reason; bathing establishments are ubiquitous in Jiangzhou. Tan Xuan did not deliberately seek them out while driving. After turning a few streets and exiting this "urban-rural fringe," he brought Qian Bo to a relatively large bathing establishment.

Having learned from yesterday's lesson, Tan Xuan did not drive too fast today. No matter how much Qian Bo urged him, he remained leisurely, only delivering Qian Bo to the street from last night just before 9 o'clock. After Qian Bo got out of the car, Tan Xuan did not wait for him as he had done yesterday; instead, he drove to the station to pick someone up and took them to another location, which he had promised to another neighbor during the day, and there was no conflict in timing.

Upon hearing Tan Xuan's words, the woman's face, illuminated by the phone screen, suddenly turned unpleasant. Thinking that if she hadn't intervened in time, her eyes would have been sullied, she angrily shouted: "Rogue, stop grinning and joking around, don't bring up your lack of manners. I ask you, why did you come here... to do that?"

"What a joke." Qian Bo let out a heavy snort, thinking about how Lao Sun was still sitting behind him. He held back his curses but still sighed, sharing his experiences of the day with Tan Xuan. "At first, I won a bit, but then I don't know what got into me; I kept losing, not winning a single round. If it weren't for your call bringing me out, I might have ended up losing even more than what I won yesterday."

Tan Xuan was somewhat at a loss for words when asked, "There are no restrooms on the nearby streets, and this place is secluded. If I don't take care of it here, are you suggesting I find a more crowded place?"

Qian Bo opened his mouth and, sitting in the passenger seat, waved his hand grandly, "Let's go to the water city, brother invites you and Old Sun to take a big bath"

"What am I doing here? Didn't you see it clearly?" Tan Xuan replied with a bitter smile

After resting for a night, Qian Bo had not yet completely calmed down from the excitement of the previous night. At this moment, he was even more looking forward to continuing his rampage in the evening. When getting out of the car, he reminded Tan Xuan not to forget to pick him up early in the evening, so as not to waste time, and promised that he would take Tan Xuan to a better place to enjoy themselves tonight

If you want to wash, then go ahead; after all, if you truly want to relax, there are plenty of excuses to grab. If Qian Bo wants to show off a bit, how could he possibly ruin the fun? Neither the host nor the guest refused, so what more could I, as the accompanying guest, say

"Evil?" Tan Xuan chuckled softly, glancing at the old Sun through the rearview mirror, and said with a cold smile, "Whether it is evil or not, one knows in their heart."

Qian Bo came out very quickly. He put down his phone and within a minute, he had exited the apartment. Once outside, he called to ask about Tan Xuan's location. One cannot truly rely on running with one's legs; if there is a car, one should certainly take it.

"Alright, alright, I'm leaving. I'm afraid I won't make it in time wherever I go, so it's more convenient this way." Tan Xuan did not ask further, and after getting into the car, he truly left without delay, as this place was not suitable for staying long, not even saying a proper goodbye.

No, no, that is not what I meant, it is just that people have three urgent needs... The night is dark without any streetlights, and that car looks quite dilapidated; it is said to have been abandoned here, and no one doubts it. Who would have thought that someone was hidden inside? However, now that he is in the wrong, Tan Xuan can only explain in a low and submissive tone.

Before Tan Xuan could finish explaining, the car door was pushed open, and a woman stepped out, holding her phone up to take a picture of Tan Xuan's face. Angrily, she said: "Are you in such a hurry that you have to do it anywhere? How disgusting! It splashed on my car; I hope my car won't grow dog urine moss, right?"

After parking the car, Tan Xuan felt a sudden urge to urinate. He looked around but found no public restrooms nearby. Noticing the darkness outside and the absence of passersby, Tan Xuan recalled his master's frequent saying, "As long as you don't look up, there are latrines everywhere." Thus, he got out of the car, walked to the back, unbuckled his belt, and prepared to relieve himself on the spot

Two individuals stayed overnight at a bathing center, and the next day, they left after having breakfast at a restaurant. Last night, Qian Bo spent a considerable amount on both bathing and massage. In return, Tan Xuan offered to give Qian Bo a free ride back to the community. Although the expenses of the two are not comparable, it is still a significant gesture for Tan Xuan, as offering a ride is not without cost.

Upon meeting, Tan Xuan was somewhat taken aback, as not only had Qian Bo come out himself, but also his friend Lao Sun, whom he felt an instant rapport with. What surprised Tan Xuan, however, was that the person who usually accompanied Lao Sun was not with him this time.

After listening to Tan Xuan's brief description, Qian Bo felt a wave of fear. He knew that Tan Xuan would not joke about such matters. If he were really caught, his career would be significantly affected, especially since the competition is fierce now, and it is very likely that competitors would exploit this situation. Then he felt a sense of relief, as he had narrowly escaped a disaster. Qian Bo glanced at the friend behind him, a brilliant smile appearing on his face, and he couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion: "Indeed, it is a blessing star arranged for me by heaven."

"Are you going to wash again?" Tan Xuan's brows were furrowed together, and now hearing about taking a bath made him feel uneasy. He turned his head to look at Qian Bo and asked, "Did you win quite a bit again tonight?"

Tan Xuan did not expect that there were still people in the car behind him, which startled him so much that he almost lost control. He hurriedly fastened his pants, raised his hand to shield himself from the blinding light, and awkwardly smiled as he said: "I apologize, I truly apologize, I thought there was no one here."

"I... I haven't urinated yet..." Tan Xuan was momentarily speechless. He put down his hands and took a look at the other person. The individual was half a head shorter than him, wearing a hat that obscured most of their face. Even against the light, he couldn't see the details clearly. However, despite not being able to discern the specific features, it was evident that the person was quite tall and had a good figure, clearly a young woman, and probably not unattractive. He just didn't expect her to speak so rudely.

As soon as he got into the car, Qian Bo immediately asked, "Tan Zi, what happened that made you call us out?"

The car left that street and drove onto the bright and bustling main road, merging into the somewhat crowded traffic. Tan Xuan then officially spoke, "The place you just visited has already been monitored by the police. If you had taken a little longer to come out, I would have probably gone to your house to inform your wife to bring you some clothes..."

Seeing that the woman's momentum had weakened, Tan Xuan began to respond with questions: "You have been asking me for half a day, what is it that you do? What are you hiding here for on this late night? Are you planning to do something illegal?"

Seeing that the woman was quite defensive, Tan Xuan pointed to his car and said: "I am a ride-hailing driver"

Saying this, Qian Bo turned to Lao Sun and asked, "Don't you think so? Today is just too strange."

Ah!

The woman shot a glare at Tan Xuan and said, "Don't ask what you shouldn't ask, hurry up and leave, otherwise you'll find yourself visiting the detention center soon."

Tan Xuan was taken aback and feigned surprise as he asked, "What action of the police?"

Nightfall quickly descended once again, and Qian Bo eagerly contacted Tan Xuan to pick him up, urging him with even more urgency than yesterday. Qian Bo appeared to be in good spirits today, his face glowing with excitement; the passage of a day had not calmed him but rather made him seem even more exhilarated than the day before. Today, Qian Bo did not carry the same leather bag as yesterday; instead, he had a backpack that was not much smaller than a suitcase. With an air of complete confidence, he gave Tan Xuan the impression that he was not going to gamble, but rather to collect money, and it seemed to be a large transaction, as if he were just short of hiring two bodyguards or requesting police escort services.

Tang Xuan was unclear about the situation in the apartment. When he made the call, he did not dare to speak the truth, as the people inside could be much more ruthless than the police if they sensed something was amiss. He simply told Qian Bo that his father had an accident and was hospitalized, urging him to hurry over. Qian Bo was sharp; having known that Tang Xuan's father had been dead for over a year, he immediately understood that this was a reminder of an emergency situation and without further ado, he agreed to go over right away