Chapter 79

079

After leaving the hospital, Yang Chen felt somewhat suffocated. He drove at high speed on the highway for a while before feeling much better.

It was already around eleven or twelve at night, and many suburban areas of Zhonghai were already lit up with various lights. If it were a month ago, Yang Chen might have been more interested in the pink-lit beauty salons. But now, if he really wanted to indulge himself, going to ROSE to find Qiangwei would be more deserving.

Occasionally, he thought about his actions, which seemed somewhat absurd. Qiangwei, who was always good to him, rarely received his care and attention. And Li Jingjing, that little girl, could make him happy for a long time just by seeing her. He usually didn’t care much about such women, yet he still thought about running to a snack shop at night to buy glutinous rice balls for Lin Ruoxi, that ice queen.

Perhaps it was because she reminded him of the woman deep in his memory... or maybe, what you can't get is always the best. This saying really applies to everyone.

Feeling a bit guilty towards Qiangwei, Yang Chen decided not to go find her. When he drove to a night snack area in the western district, he got out of the car and planned to find a noodle stand, drink some beer, and have a bowl of noodles.

By midnight, in the streets and alleys of Zhonghai, as long as it wasn't a main road, all kinds of unlicensed vendors would start selling night snacks. If they were lucky, no one would manage them; if they were unlucky, they might be completely dismantled by the urban management or police.

Yang Chen casually found a relatively quiet noodle stand and sat down, shouting to the vendor who was making noodles, "Boss, a bowl of shredded meat mixed noodles and two bottles of beer."

The boss was a middle-aged man who smiled and responded, "Okay, I'll bring it to you soon."

Yang Chen, hearing this, suddenly felt the voice was familiar. He looked over and couldn't help but laugh, "How can it be you!?"

The noodle stand owner looked puzzled, looked up carefully, and finally recognized Yang Chen. He almost fell to the ground, his face as bitter as a bitter gourd, "Oh... it's you, hehe... hehe... what a coincidence."

The noodle stand owner turned out to be an old acquaintance who had taken Yang Chen to the police station—Feng Biao, Captain Feng.

Originally, he was a police officer in the Western District Police Station, wearing a police uniform and giving orders. Now, he was wearing a dirty shirt, tied with an apron, and setting up a stall on the street, becoming an unlicensed vendor.

Yang Chen thought for a moment and asked uncertainly, "Did you change careers, or were you fired?"

Feng Biao's face turned red, and he said hesitantly, "I... I was fired."

"Karma," Yang Chen smiled and shook his head, "But don't worry, I didn't take the matter to heart. Just continue making the noodles, don't let them get burnt."

Feng Biao, who thought Yang Chen would take advantage of his misfortune, was delighted. He knew that if there was a conflict, he wouldn't be able to fight and his stall didn't have a license, so he would definitely lose. Now, the other party didn't care about the past, and Feng Biao couldn't be more pleased.

"Thank you! Thank you, little brother!" Feng Biao was almost moved to tears, "I had no choice. I know I did many wrong things back then. Thank you, little brother, for being a big person and not holding a grudge."

Yang Chen said indifferently, "Just make your noodles."

"Sure, sure, this meal is on me, no charge," Feng Biao continued working, feeling as if he had been granted a reprieve.

Yang Chen found it somewhat amusing; this guy was really in a sorry state. Back then, Cai Yan said she would severely punish him, and he thought it was just talk, but it turned out she really fired Feng Biao. This wasn't just a matter of rank; Cai Yan must have a strong background to have such power.

Thinking about what Cai Yan said in Lin Ruoxi's ward and about Lin Ruoxi's grandfather, Yang Chen couldn't help but wonder. Since the two women knew each other from childhood, could his wife also have an official background? Why did Lin Ruoxi hate her grandfather so much?

While he was thinking about these confusing matters, Feng Biao had already mixed the noodles and brought two bottles of Tsingtao beer, smiling, "Little brother, enjoy your meal. If you need anything else, just say."

Seeing Feng Biao's demeanor, Yang Chen felt that this guy wasn't too bad. At least he understood his position and could be flexible, so he wouldn't have a terrible life.

After eating a few bites of noodles and drinking some beer, Yang Chen felt refreshed. Suddenly, from a nearby alley, a commotion broke out.

"Kid, don't run!"

"Stop!"

"Run one more step and I'll beat you to death!"

"Stop!"

Several men suddenly rushed out, shouting angrily and chasing a relatively slim figure.

Yang Chen, with his keen eyesight, recognized the figure and couldn't help but doubt if it was an illusion. The man being chased, wearing a white short-sleeved shirt and with fair skin, was none other than his office colleague—Chen Bo!

Chen Bo looked very flustered, running toward the noodle stand with a panicked face. Behind him were at least seven or eight men, chasing him relentlessly and clearly faster, about to catch him.

Although Yang Chen didn't understand what was happening, he was definitely going to help Chen Bo. He picked up a bench and threw it with all his might.

The bench spun and hit the thighs of the two men in front, causing them to scream and fall. The group was startled and stopped to look at Yang Chen.

Many customers at the noodle stand saw this and felt the situation was not good, quickly moving to the side to avoid getting involved.

Chen Bo, suddenly seeing Yang Chen, was also surprised. Due to fear, he didn't think twice and ran to Yang Chen's back, trembling and not daring to face the group of men.

"Chen Bo, what's going on?" Yang Chen turned around and asked with a smile.

Chen Bo, either from shyness or exhaustion, had a flushed face and stammered, "T... they want to catch me, I... I don't want to go..."

"Catch you? Why do they want to catch you?"

Before Yang Chen could ask more, the group of men started cursing loudly.

"Did you eat a bear's heart and a leopard's gall? Do you know who we are!?"

"He's my colleague. I have to protect him until I know why you're catching him," Yang Chen said.

Chen Bo, hearing this, felt his eyes well up, clearly moved.

"You little punk also wants to die? We'll make it happen for you!"

Several thugs, already at the edge of their tempers, rushed over without a word. But their disorganized punches and kicks were no match for Yang Chen.

With a few casual slaps and kicks to their stomachs, Yang Chen made the aggressive group taste the consequences, sending them sprawling on the ground.

Chen Bo, seeing Yang Chen so easily solve such a big problem, looked at him with awe.

"You little punk, you've got guts! Wait until our boss sees you, he'll take care of you!" a thug with a silver chain shouted.

Before he could finish, another thug yelled, "The boss is here! The boss is here!!"

Sure enough, from the direction they had been chasing, another group of people was walking over. The leader, wearing a white shirt with his hands in his pockets, had a proud look on his face. He was their boss.

The thugs quickly got up, smiling and rushing over to complain to their boss, hoping he would deal with Yang Chen. However, the "boss" had already walked over.

"Mr. Yang! Long time no see! We meet again!"

"Good evening, Mr. Guo. I didn't expect to see you here," Yang Chen almost burst out laughing. It turned out their boss was Guo Ziheng, the head of the gang who had "given" him money.

The man who couldn't be intimidated by a shotgun and was thoroughly defeated by him.

"Meeting by chance, it seems I have a great connection with Mr. Yang," Guo Ziheng, seemingly forgetting their past, smiled and extended his hand to shake Yang Chen's.

Yang Chen shook his hand as if they were old friends, though their inner thoughts were vastly different.

The thugs, who had been so arrogant a moment ago, were now dumbfounded. They couldn't understand why their boss was so friendly with this stranger, leaving them speechless.

Guo Ziheng's face turned stiff, and he forced a smile, "Mr. Yang, you may not know, but we are also acting on someone else's orders. We are supposed to take the person behind you back. Otherwise... Guo would have a hard time explaining."

Yang Chen was somewhat surprised. Guo Ziheng, who had some understanding of his strength, should know that he would be at a disadvantage if they fought. Yet he was still determined to take Chen Bo. What kind of person was Chen Bo?

"Mr. Guo, did my friend do something to offend you or owe you money?" Yang Chen asked, puzzled.

Guo Ziheng smiled nervously, sighed, and said, "Why don't you ask your friend what's going on, Mr. Yang?"

Yang Chen nodded and looked at Chen Bo.

Chen Bo, already trembling and sweating, saw Yang Chen's questioning gaze and stammered, "I... I... I... they want me to serve... serve a man..."

"Serve a man?" Yang Chen frowned.

Chen Bo's face turned as red as an apple, and he lowered his head, his voice almost inaudible, "They want me to serve a man."

Yang Chen was taken aback, understanding Chen Bo's meaning. Honestly, he felt a bit strange. He never thought that Chen Bo, who always acted so feminine, would be sought after by a man.

But it wouldn't be right to laugh. Fortunately, he had seen similar situations abroad and wasn't too uncomfortable. He turned to Guo Ziheng and said, "That's not right. My friend doesn't want to do it, so don't force him."

Guo Ziheng smiled bitterly, "Mr. Yang, with you here, I wouldn't dare to force him. But... the person on the other side is not someone to be trifled with..."

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