Chapter 60

Four burly men in dark sunglasses and their large red Sequoia SUV seemed out of place in this old neighborhood built in the 1990s. They stood out, clearly belonging to another world, more suited for the stage of films and television.

But they were here, walking in a line, their open black suits revealing the weapons on their waists: pepper spray, ASP batons, stun guns, and handcuffs.

Liu Handong suddenly noticed a small blue shield badge on their collars, the emblem of Qing Shi High-Tech Security. Damn, Xia Bai Shi was going to openly retaliate against him. He couldn't help but clench his fists, a sharp pain shooting through his shoulder, which hadn't fully healed. Even if he were uninjured, he couldn't take on these four behemoths.

Qian Zhenhu was also surprised. These four unexpected arrivals didn't look like gangsters but more like professional bodyguards from a security company. Only celebrities hired a few to show off. Could there be a celebrity here? It didn't seem likely.

The four behemoths approached Liu Handong but didn't touch him. Instead, they stood in front of him, forming an impenetrable wall, their hands crossed at their groins, exuding an aura of authority.

"Hey, what's the meaning of this?" Qian Zhenhu laughed. He was a man of the underworld and had seen it all. These four big men didn't scare him.

"You can't touch him," one of the behemoths said, his accent suggesting he was from the north.

"So what if I touch him? Are you going to bite me?" Qian Zhenhu sneered.

"You can try, but don't say I didn't warn you," the behemoth replied, his voice emotionless and calm, which made Qian Zhenhu uneasy and angry. He knew he wouldn't last a round if it came to a fight.

"Damn, do you think I'm scared? If you have the guts, don't run, just wait," Qian Zhenhu turned and walked away, his two subordinates pointing at Liu Handong from a distance, "If you have the guts, don't run, I'll call people to beat you to death!"

Liu Handong smiled and ignored them.

The four behemoths didn't speak to Liu Handong and went straight back to their car.

"Your bodyguards?" Song Shuang was now speechless.

"I don't know them," Liu Handong said.

"Liar, if you don't know them, why would they protect you?" Song Shuang didn't believe him.

"Liar is a little dog," Liu Handong said.

Qian Zhenhu and his men got into the Accord, rolled down the window, and shouted at Liu Handong again, "Damn, if you have the guts, don't run."

Liu Handong waved at them with a smile.

Seeing the situation, Sun Xiaoyang tried to slip away with the property deed, but Liu Handong grabbed him back, "We haven't settled your business yet."

"Grandma, it's my fault. I owe them money, and if I can't pay, they'll kill me!" Sun Xiaoyang sobbed, his expression changing rapidly.

Sun Grandma, who was already confused, sighed, "Xiaoyang, how much do you owe? Grandma still has some savings."

Liu Handong said, "He just said, over a million."

"A million..." Sun Grandma fainted again, and Song Shuang hurried to help her, giving her water and medicine, and rubbing her chest. It took a while for her to recover.

"Xiaoyang, you owe the devil's debt. We can't pay it off in three lifetimes. What did you do to borrow so much money?" Sun Grandma's tears streamed down her face.

"I invested and failed," Sun Xiaoyang mumbled.

"What did you invest in? You gambled, didn't you?" Liu Handong sneered.

Caught in his lie, Sun Xiaoyang shamelessly denied it, "I haven't played the fruit machine for a long time."

Liu Handong said, "See, you admitted it without being hit."

Song Shuang angrily said, "Playing the fruit machine, losing a million?"

Liu Handong said, "He must have taken out a high-interest loan. The interest compounds, and a million isn't much, but it can bankrupt a family."

Song Shuang's phone rang; it was Secretary Shen. The call had been cut off earlier, and Secretary Shen was worried about her and called back.

"I'm fine, but our small animal protection association's base was destroyed... It involves a civil case. Can you send someone to handle it, Secretary Shen?" Song Shuang explained the situation.

Shen Hongyi said, "Follow the procedure, call 110, and I'll arrange it."

They called 110 again, and this time, the police chief led the team, with three police cars and over ten officers.

Because Secretary Shen had called, the matter was handled quickly. Sun Xiaoyang was taken to the station for questioning, the furniture was moved back into the room, and the stray cats returned to their spots. Sun Grandma, worried about Xiaoyang, insisted on going to the station. Song Shuang asked a colleague from the animal protection association to accompany her, while she stayed to clean up the room.

"It's over, I'll go first," Liu Handong said.

"Thank you," Song Shuang said politely.

Liu Handong waved and walked to Hu Lei, patting his shoulder, "You're a good friend."

Hu Lei smiled, "I don't care if they're big shots. If they touch you, I'll take them down."

Liu Handong said, "You should join the military; that place suits you. By the way, who was that idiot earlier?"

"Qian Zhenhu, a former top bodyguard in Jinjiang. His boss, Yang Qing, follows Dragon Boss. These are all old hands in the underworld."

"Who is Dragon Boss?"

"Long Kaijiang, a former hooligan at the train station, who ran a noodle shop and a small bathhouse. Later, he somehow got rich. The most famous club in Jinjiang, the Platinum International Bath Center, is his. Now he's involved in all sorts of businesses, from real estate to demolition and high-interest loans. He's incredibly powerful." Hu Lei spoke with enthusiasm, his admiration evident.

"Damn, a bath center is just a bath center. What's with the 'international' part?" Liu Handong was puzzled. "Qian Zhenhu is an old hand, why would he personally handle such a small matter?"

"Maybe he's bored," Hu Lei said, scratching his head. With his experience, he couldn't understand the lifestyle of the underworld bosses.

Liu Handong laughed, "Alright, I'll treat you guys tonight. Go back first, I have some business to attend to."

"Okay, we'll go first." Hu Lei turned and left, but after a few steps, he heard Liu Handong's voice, "Hu Lei, do you really dare to take down Qian Zhenhu?"

"Of course! I don't care how tough he is; I'll take him down with one brick," Hu Lei laughed and rode off with his companions.

Liu Handong turned to look at the red Sequoia, which had disappeared. He guessed these weren't sent by Xia Bai Shi but by Shu Fan's father to protect him.

Everyone who should have left had gone, and the neighbors who had gathered to watch the commotion had returned to their homes. Only his Fukan car remained, with two cats sitting on the hood.

Liu Handong shooed the cats away, got into the car, and put on his sunglasses. After a moment's thought, he got out and went back inside. "I think you should move. The cats are causing problems for the neighbors. I have many empty houses where I live. Renting a large yard won't cost much. Sun Grandma is old and confused; she can't take care of so many animals. Your association should take responsibility."

After saying this, Liu Handong turned and left. Song Shuang hurried after him, calling, "Hey, wait."

Liu Handong stopped, "What?"

"Your suggestion is good. Can you help us find a place? It needs to be large, have a yard, and have water and electricity, without disturbing the neighbors."

"Sure, wait for my call." Liu Handong put on his sunglasses and left.

Song Shuang watched him go, sighing.

Liu Handong drove away, checking the rearview mirror for any cars following him. He didn't see the red Sequoia, so he stopped by the roadside to wait. After five minutes, the red Sequoia appeared, stopping thirty meters away. A man got out and walked over, asking, "Is your car broken?"

"Are you sent by Xia Qing Shi?" Liu Handong asked.

"Yes, we are ordered to protect you in shifts. We don't get involved in your personal affairs but ensure your safety," the man replied.

"Thank him for me. I can protect myself. Don't follow me," Liu Handong got back into his car and drove off. The red Sequoia didn't follow.

"Something's not right," Liu Handong braked and stopped by the roadside. He got out and circled his car, feeling around. He found a small red light under the car, a tracking device. No wonder the red Sequoia was so persistent.

Although they meant well, Liu Handong didn't like being followed. He looked around and saw a taxi parked nearby. The driver was using the restroom, so he placed the tracking device under the taxi. The device was magnetic and stuck easily.

Feeling satisfied, Liu Handong drove off.

Back on Iron Slag Street, he saw that Tu Ji Dog Meat Restaurant was being renovated. A few people were changing the sign, removing the dog meat sign and replacing it with a new one that read "Tu Ji Beef Village." The iron cages that usually held dogs were gone, replaced by flower pots. The blood-stained racks and skinning poles were thrown away, and even the kitchen knives were new.

Tu Hongbin was busy directing people to move a new soup pot from a small truck. Seeing Liu Handong, he greeted him, "Dong, look at my new sign. It's sponsored by the brewery."

"Changed to beef, nice," Liu Handong praised.

"I can't bear to kill anymore. I'll do beef soup, buying ready-made beef and bones from the butcher. I've killed enough to go to the eighteenth level of hell. I need to do good for Xiaoyue and the child," Tu Hongbin said, now worshipping the Child-Giving Guanyin and praying day and night, afraid the child would be lost again.

"When will you open? I'll bring people to support you," Liu Handong said, taking a cigarette from Tu Hongbin.

...

With the police involved, Sun Grandma was temporarily safe from eviction. Song Shuang finished her work and returned to school, receiving a call from Ling Zijie, inviting her to a coffee shop.

Song Shuang went as agreed, this time without Zhu Pengpeng. It felt strange. Ling Zijie ordered a Blue Mountain coffee and a cappuccino for Song Shuang, then took out a printed copy of the "Sex Worker Ecological Survey Report."

"Song Shuang, take a look. I know it's not perfect; it's just a draft. Please help me revise and correct it."

Song Shuang carefully read through it, deeply impressed by Ling Zijie's talent. This young man was meticulous and brave, delving into the grassroots to write a report with depth and insight, which was admirable.

"I can't correct it, but I think it's well-written," Song Shuang said.

Ling Zijie shook his head, "I know the gap. This is just theoretical. It doesn't touch the deeper issues, so I need your help."

Song Shuang's eyes lit up, "How about this? Let my father take a look and give some suggestions."

Ling Zijie thought for a moment, "Your father is busy. Will it affect his work?"

Song Shuang said, "This is part of his work. He'll help his daughter check her homework. The report will be co-authored by me and Pengpeng."

Ling Zijie smiled, "Take a closer look."

Song Shuang focused and saw her and Pengpeng's names on the report.

"This is a joint effort, so your names should be on it," Ling Zijie said seriously.