Chapter 66

"Boss, two spicy fish heads! And a few cases of beer! Where is everyone, dead or what?" A young man with a crew cut led a group of people out of several cars and sat at a table closest to the door.

Old Liu shakily approached them: "Young Master Hu, we still have fish heads. What else would you like?"

"Damn, you old geezer, call Liu Xia out. We want her to serve us. You go back to the kitchen and cook."

"Ah, Young Master Hu, I'm really sorry, but Liu Xia isn't here today. You see..."

"Bullshit, trying to fool me. My brother saw her come back this afternoon. Go, go, call Liu Xia out. Seeing you, old geezer, ruins our appetite. How can we eat?"

"This..." Old Liu knew trouble was coming. A few days ago, this group had caused a commotion, even publicly harassing his daughter Liu Xia. He had sent Liu Xia to hide in the city for a few days, and the female waitresses had all run away in fear.

He thought things had quieted down, but as soon as Liu Xia stepped in the door, Young Master Hu and his gang arrived. It was clear someone was watching the place. Old Liu's scalp tingled. If it weren't for the need to sell the inn to make some money, he would have long taken his wife and daughter back to Sichuan. What could he do now?

"Hurry up, boss, where's Liu Xia? Young Master Hu is thinking of her day and night, can't eat or sleep. Get her out, don't hide anymore." A thug with a crew cut laughed lecherously and shouted towards the kitchen. The others at the table joined in: "Yeah, call the lady out, our boss misses her."

Damn, they're not here to eat, they're here to harass women. Ding Hao finally understood. This old man must be afraid of Young Master Hu causing trouble for his daughter, which is why he decided to sell the inn. No wonder it was so cheap, practically giving it away.

"What are you still standing here for? Look at all the restaurants and hotels, where do they use old geezers as waiters?"

"Ah, Young Master Hu, all my waitresses quit a few days ago. How about you make do today, and I'll hire more in a few days?"

"No way. If there are no female waitresses, call Liu Xia out. Why not use the person right here?"

"Or, I can help out as a waitress. Maybe the boss will hire me." Chen Fang looked up at Ding Hao.

"Are you crazy? These guys are clearly after Liu Xia. You going won't help. If they take a liking to you, you'll be in trouble."

"Oh?" Chen Fang thought about it. In Yun Gang, she had been eyed by Zhang Yongwei and Zhou Fuquan. She was particularly afraid of perverts.

"Let's see what happens first." Ding Hao continued eating while observing the situation. The other guests, seeing Young Master Hu and his gang, quickly finished their meals and left. But Ding Hao wasn't afraid. For one, his skills were much better than a year ago.

When Liu Yiding recruited him, he had told Ding Hao that one of the organization's main tasks was to control some lower-level organizations and ensure peace in the area. Young Master Hu, no matter how capable, was just a thug, not even a real gangster. Even if he was, including his backers, Ding Hao wasn't afraid.

Although Liu Yiding hadn't given him a specific task, if Ding Hao caused trouble, Liu Yiding would support him. He would do whatever it took to crush the evil forces that dared to provoke him, to maintain the organization's authority.

Seeing Young Master Hu being unreasonable, Old Liu had no choice but to run into the kitchen with his head down.

"Damn, you dare to lie to me!" The young man with the crew cut suddenly stood up, flipped the nearby table, and the dishes clattered to the ground: "Call Liu Xia out, or I'll smash this place today."

"Old man, what do we do?" Hearing Young Master Hu shouting outside, the boss lady in the kitchen was trembling with fear.

"Let him smash if he wants. We can't let Liu Xia go out."

"Why don't you call the police?" Ding Hao knew the couple was afraid of Young Master Hu and hiding in the kitchen, so he got up and went to the back kitchen.

"Call the police? If it worked..." The boss lady, seeing Ding Hao for the first time, knew he was an outsider: "These people will do anything. They claim to be a branch of the largest gang in Qianjiang, the Evil Moon Gang, and they're very arrogant."

"We've called the police before. Every time, they only show up after the beating and smashing are done, and the customers have all run away. Sometimes they even make Old Liu go to the police station for statements, which ruins business and makes him catch a cold."

Ding Hao thought it made sense. If Young Master Hu was afraid of the police, he wouldn't be so arrogant. He must have some backing.

"Do they often come to cause trouble?" Ding Hao asked.

"Since last month, almost every day." Liu Jiang, the old man, answered.

"How did you offend him?"

"We're just honest businesspeople. How could we offend them? Last month, they came to eat, and the business was busy, so my daughter helped serve a few dishes. Who knew that after eating, the Hu guy said he wanted to date my daughter. He clearly wasn't a good person, and my daughter naturally refused. Then he started causing trouble every day. I had to send my daughter to hide in the city, but as soon as she comes home, they come to cause trouble."

"What kind of person is this Hu guy, so arrogant?"

"We don't know much about him, just that he has many followers and always comes with several cars."

"Are you selling the inn because of this?"

"We have no choice. They keep bothering my daughter, and the customers are scared away. There are almost no repeat customers. Look, the few tables today left before finishing their meals."

"Oh, I see." Ding Hao left the kitchen, thinking Old Liu was really unlucky to encounter such people.

When Ding Hao came out of the kitchen, he realized he might be in trouble too. A few thugs were surrounding Chen Fang.

"Little girl, are you alone? Do you mind if we sit and eat with you?" Chen Fang was young and well-dressed. The thugs had initially thought she and Ding Hao were a young couple. As soon as Ding Hao left, they swarmed around her like flies.

"Yeah, we're very gentle. After eating, do you want to go to a bar with us?"

"Yeah, your skin is so soft, come play with us." One thug reached out to touch her.

"Play your mother!" Ding Hao grabbed a nearby empty plate and smashed it on the thug's head. Damn, if he didn't interfere, they would have caused trouble for Chen Fang. If she was bullied in Qianjiang, Ding Hao wouldn't forgive himself.

"Damn, you dare to hit me." The thug, bleeding from the head, was still shouting.

"Get lost, or I'll chop you up." Ding Hao pushed the other thugs away from Chen Fang and checked on her.

Chen Fang was surprisingly calm, eating her meal. She was a bit scared at first, but hearing Ding Hao's voice, she ignored the thugs. She had seen Ding Hao fight before! Ding Hao laughed, thinking she was quite brave today.

Seeing the thugs weren't leaving, Ding Hao got angry and grabbed a chair, smashing it at them. They quickly scattered.

Chen Fang was startled. She thought she hadn't suffered any loss, and Ding Hao had already hit one of them. Another chair would knock them all down. She didn't know that Ding Hao was trying to draw their attention away from Liu Xia.

But Young Master Hu wasn't moved: "What are you guys doing? Go upstairs and find Liu Xia."

The thugs had no choice but to leave Chen Fang and head upstairs.

Old Liu couldn't hold back. The building was usually used for guest rooms, and his daughter was hiding in one of them. If these guys started smashing doors, it would scare the guests, and the business would be ruined.

The thug Ding Hao had hit ran to the young man with the crew cut: "Boss, he hit me with a plate."

"I saw, don't bother me. Go find Liu Xia, I'll deal with him later."

Ding Hao was surprised. Young Master Hu was really infatuated with Liu Xia. He had hit his follower, but he didn't care.

The thug had no choice but to follow the others upstairs.

The young man with the crew cut walked to Ding Hao's table calmly: "Brother, I'm Hu Yanping, from the Evil Moon Gang. Where are you from?"

Hu Yanping, though a thug, wasn't stupid. Ding Hao looked unfamiliar and had a fierce punch, so he wanted to probe him.

"Cut the crap. That guy was harassing my friend, he deserved it. I have no affiliation, no job. Get out of my way, don't bother me while I eat."

"Fine, you've got guts. We'll see how you act later."

Ding Hao ignored him, put some food in Chen Fang's bowl, and then ate a mouthful himself, chewing loudly. Chen Fang couldn't help but laugh.

The young man with the crew cut was furious, but his followers were upstairs, and he was afraid he couldn't beat Ding Hao alone. He thought he would deal with him later.

Soon, the group brought Liu Xia out. It wasn't because they were so capable, but because Liu Xia was afraid they would kick all the doors and came out herself.

Seeing Liu Xia, the young man with the crew cut smiled and walked up: "Where have you been these days? I've been looking for you."

His tone and expression were like a husband welcoming his wife back from a trip.

Old Liu was furious but dared not speak.

"Who are you? I don't know you!" Liu Xia was bolder than her parents. Ding Hao looked closely. The girl was about the same age as Chen Fang, and her looks and figure were no worse. She seemed better dressed, probably because her parents were in business. No wonder Young Master Hu was so infatuated. Such a girl would be rare in Qianjiang, let alone in this suburban area.