Chapter 8

Seeing them, Liu Feiyang instinctively moved to the side to make way, because anyone associated with the mine or factory was usually very united, and he didn't want to cause trouble. It wasn't that he was afraid of getting beaten up, but rather that he had just settled down and didn't want to leave his home again.

"Ring, ring..." The bicycle rang again.

The man behind him had already turned his bike towards him.

He looked up, thought for a moment, and then took a few steps back, out of the intersection.

The man didn't leave, still staring at Liu Feiyang with a look of disdain. He pedaled forward, and in two steps, he was right in front of Liu Feiyang, the bicycle wheel less than ten centimeters from his calf.

"Friend, do you have something to do?" He hesitated for a few seconds, then raised his head and asked.

"Do you really have no idea?" He shook his head and replied, got off the bike, stopped it, and stood up straight in front of Liu Feiyang. They were about the same height, looking at each other almost eye to eye.

At the same time, the other young men also got off their bikes and gathered around.

Only the leader remained seated on his bike.

In a moment, they formed a circle, surrounding Liu Feiyang.

"Brother, if I did something wrong, just tell me directly. There's no need to scare me or beat me up. As long as you don't kill me, the problem won't be solved!" He said without a hint of fear.

Since he left the village, he had learned one thing: other people's charity is based on fleeting pity. If he wanted to stand tall, he had to rely on himself.

"Hey, you're a tough guy, aren't you?" The man in front of him raised his hand, grabbed Liu Feiyang's collar, and pushed him back a few steps.

"Bang..." He hit the wall opposite, his back already pressed against it.

"What, you're not convinced!" He glared at Liu Feiyang, gritting his teeth.

"Tell me what's going on first. If I'm wrong, I'll apologize. If I'm not wrong..."

"What if you're not wrong?" He interrupted Liu Feiyang before he could finish.

"Alright, Xiao Wu..." The man on the bike finally spoke. He looked to be around twenty, quite handsome. He got off the bike, took out a pack of Jiqing cigarettes from his pocket, lit one, and pushed the others aside to stand in front of Liu Feiyang. He put his foot on the wall and said with a cool demeanor.

"My name is Qian Liang. I'm not a gangster and I don't bully people. The house you rented today belongs to my fiancée's family. She hasn't moved in yet, and if you live there, rumors will spread, which will be bad for her reputation and mine. You have three days to move out, or I'll beat you up every time I see you!"

He finished speaking and blew smoke in Liu Feiyang's face.

Qian Liang was indeed not a gangster. In theory, he was a silver mine worker, but in this era, everyone was thinking about going into business and traveling to the south. His mind was also flexible, working three days and resting two, but for various reasons, he never left.

The group around him were childhood friends who grew up in the same alley, often gathering to drink and play cards.

Qian Liang had liked An Ran since he was young and had sworn to marry no one else. He had even said that if An Ran married someone else, he would castrate himself like Yue Buqun, becoming sisters if they couldn't be husband and wife.

When he heard that a man had moved into An Ran's house, he was furious. He brought his friends to An Ran's house but hesitated to go inside. He listened at the door and learned that someone had gone out and not returned, so he waited in the alley.

"Brother Liang is asking you a question. Are you deaf? You have three days to leave, did you hear that?" Xiao Wu shouted again.

Liu Feiyang's hesitation wasn't out of fear but because he felt a chill when he heard Qian Liang say "my fiancée's family." He thought Qian Liang and An Ran were a couple, which made him feel a bit disappointed and melancholic.

"It's the New Year, and I can't find a place to stay temporarily. If I leave, I need to find a job and settle down," he replied slowly.

Since Qian Liang and An Ran were a couple, he didn't need to stay there. In those days, there were no terms like "cheating" or "third party," which were very awkward words, like "having an affair."

He was a man with strong principles and didn't want to ruin her reputation.

"You're still haggling? Do you think I won't beat you up?" Xiao Wu, who had a short temper, raised his fist to strike.

"Xiao Wu..." Qian Liang stopped him, took another puff of his cigarette, and said, "I, Qian Liang, have three principles: reason, righteousness, and principles. Asking you to leave during the New Year wouldn't be good for my reputation. If you find a job, that's fine, but until then, you can only use the toilet at noon, and you must hide from me before you go. Also, you can only cook after you hear my fiancée finish washing the dishes and close the door..."

"Alright!" Liu Feiyang found his words somewhat amusing, like a child afraid of his candy being seen.

Xiao Wu, seeing him nod, put his hand on his shoulder. "Kid, my brother Liang is a good person. He's letting you off today. Otherwise, you'd be spending the New Year in the hospital, got it?"

"Who are you going to make spend the New Year in the hospital?"

Xiao Wu's words were cut off by a furious shout from behind.

An Ran stood at the back, her face dark, having appeared at some point, looking at them coldly.

"Xiao Ran?" Qian Liang turned his head, stunned, and hurriedly tried to take the cigarette out of his mouth and throw it away. But it had been in his mouth too long and was stuck to his lips. When he tried to remove it, a red spark caught between his fingers, which looked painful.

"Tell me, why aren't you all going home for the New Year? What are you doing here?" An Ran pushed them aside, turned to Liu Feiyang, and stood in front of him, shielding him. She looked around and said, "Explain to me what you mean by spending the New Year in the hospital?"

"Sister-in-law, look at you..." Xiao Wu's eyes darted around.

"Who is your sister-in-law? Say it again..." An Ran glared at him.

Liu Feiyang, standing behind her, could see her side face. When he saw her fair skin move as she spoke, he was completely captivated. She was more beautiful than any girl he had seen in his village or at the market.

"Xiao Ran... don't say that, okay?" Qian Liang suddenly looked extremely aggrieved, his expression conflicted. He called An Ran his fiancée in front of others, but when he saw her, he was like a docile kitten.

"And you, I heard you skipped work again and were called in by the mine management!"

"Do you care about me?" Qian Liang asked with a sly smile.

"I'm embarrassed for you. You're over twenty and still being called in by your parents. Have you thought about how Uncle Qian feels?"

"Xiao Ran, can we talk about something else?" He heard this and his excitement waned. He looked back and saw Liu Feiyang staring at An Ran with wide eyes.

He suddenly felt a bit angry. "Kid, what are you looking at..."

"Stay back..." An Ran quickly pushed him aside and moved a bit further back.

The close distance made Liu Feiyang even more entranced by her scent.

"I'm telling you, Xiao Yang is my tenant. If I see anyone threaten him again, he can go his way, and I'll go mine. We won't interfere with each other," she said, turned her head, and reached out to take Liu Feiyang's hand. "Xiao Yang, let's go..."

"Move aside..." She pushed through the crowd, pulling Liu Feiyang away.

"Hey... Brother Liang, they're holding hands..." Xiao Wu looked at the distance, a bit flustered.

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