Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
Xiao Luo did not tell his family about his resignation and car accident. As a man, and a twenty-six-year-old man at that, he would try his best to hide anything that would cause worry for his family.
Besides, he had more than 4,000 dollars in savings. Even if he had no source of income, that money would still cover him for a while. Not to mention, he had now merged with the Genius System Without Equal. Work could be done in minutes; there was no need to worry about anything at all.
He stretched and yawned.
In his three years of working for Huahai Corporation, he had to rotate shifts (day shift and night shift) once a month, every month. There were various sorts of overtime. His daily routine was highly irregular, plus he had just been in a car accident. Although he was saved by the system, his body did not seem to be entirely back to its nimble state yet. He felt tired and sleepy at the moment.
He collapsed into bed, pulled the sheets over his head, and immediately fell into a deep slumber. His rest was extraordinarily stable and pleasant: the best he had experienced in these three years.
When he woke up, it was already past nine in the evening.
After entering the bathroom and taking a bath, he went out for supper to solve the practical problem of hunger.
He paired a black shirt with slim black pants. Dressed from head to toe in black, he gave off a mysterious feeling.
He chose to have supper at a small stall. The stall owners were a middle-aged couple. The husband grilled while the woman cooked some noodles. Also, there were beer and other beverages. The business was quite good.
Xiao Luo often came here to eat. As time passed, he became familiar with this middle-aged couple.
“Coming!”
The husband, greeting him warmly, said, “The usual?”
“Hm, yep. The same old.”
Xiao Luo nodded and found an empty table where he sat down.
Zhang Dashan was calling him on his mobile.
Xiao Luo really wanted to chew him out. He was such a big mouth that he could not keep any secrets.
“Why do you always call me about nothing? You think phone calls are free?” Xiao Luo complained unhappily when he pressed the answer button.
Zhang Dashan was startled. “F*ck me. Did you eat explosives or what? You’re so angry. Okay, okay. I’ll call you on WeChat.
“That’ll exceed my data.”
“Do you think I’m stupid? You have 4GB per month, but you don’t listen to music or watch movies that often. Exceed your data? Bullsh*t!” Zhang Dashan became impatient.
At that moment, a bowl of Sanxian noodles was served.
Xiao Luo coughed dryly, and said in a stern voice, “Okay, I’m not talking nonsense with you anymore, I’m eating now.”
“Motherf*cker, why didn’t you call me to eat too? Aren’t we bros?” Zhang Dashan complained immediately.
Xiao Luo grew exasperated. “You are more than 40 kilometers away. Would you actually have come if I called you? Just the petrol alone is enough for you to eat several bowls.”
“My bro, you can’t calculate it like that. Compared with our friendship, that little bit of petrol money is less than nothing.” Zhang Dashan nagged earnestly.
Xiao Luo couldn’t be bothered with him now. He was too hungry. Picking up his chopstick, he became engrossed in his food.
Zhang Dashan also became serious as he spoke of proper matters. “By the way, Lao Xiao, did you really resign today?”
“Yes.”
Xiao Luo answered truthfully, and then quickly urged, “Don’t tell my sister about this, or else I’ll end our friendship.”
His sister, Xiao Ruyi, was a big mouth like Zhang Dashan. If Xiao Ruyi knew about his resignation, he could guarantee that his phone would be blowing up with calls from his family the next day.
“F*ck. You still don’t trust me. Any secrets you tell me are absolutely safe with me,” Zhang Dashan solemnly vowed.
Xiao Luo rolled his eyes and asked with a profound meaning. “Are they?”
“Of course. Never mind. Let’s drop this and talk business. Today I asked a colleague from my HR department if our bank is still recruiting. Do you want to come over? The amazing teamwork between us will guarantee an awesome monthly performance,” Zhang Dashan said.
“No. I’m not interested in working in a bank,” Xiao Luo answered.
“What’s wrong with you? Are you looking down on our countryside credit union? There is a saying, no matter how small a mosquito’s legs are, they are still meat. Our credit union was established according to regulations. We’ll still get a pension every month even when we collect our old-age pension.”
“I’m not talking about that. Anyway, I understand your intentions. But, when it comes to working, I’ll take care of it myself,” Xiao Luo said.
Zhang Dashan knew there was nothing he could achieve by insisting, so he softened his tone. “Okay. Call me when you’ve thought it through. Even if I have to sell my *ss, I’ll find a way to use my connections to get you in.”
Xiao Luo’s heart melted. He knew Zhang Dashan truly meant well for him. “Thanks, Dashan!”
“No need for thanks. We’re bros, we’re good. You’re me and I’m you. That’s it then, enjoy your meal. I have a female client who asked me to meet her at her home. It seems that I have to sacrifice myself a little tonight. Let me tell you, she’s a married woman who is delicate, pretty, and young. ”
“Restrain yourself.” Xiao Luo shook his head helplessly.
“What nonsense. When the woman asked me to go to her house, she said to also bring a can of Red Bull. A can of Red Bull, bro! I want to restrain myself too, but look at this situation: she clearly wants to squeeze me dry.
“Why do I feel you’re showing off to me?”
“Hahaha.... I’ve been outed. Hanging up now. The female client is calling. Call you back later!” Zhang Dashan hung up the phone.
Xiao Luo put the phone back in his pocket and continued to eat his remaining Sanxian noodles.
From the corner of his eyes, he glimpsed a middle-aged man in a western suit and leather shoes sitting not too far from him. The guy was extremely dignified, and his body exuded the confident manner of someone from the upper-class. He even had two grim-faced bodyguards beside him. They donned sunglasses even at night.
He was obviously a person of high status!
Xiao Luo found it inconceivable that someone like that would be eating at a small stall. Moreover, he seemed looked somewhat familiar, as if he had seen him before somewhere.
But a commotion rocked the street at this moment. Dozens of people gathered around the stall, and all of them looked murderous. They were like beasts that had just emerged from the mountains, causing people to tremble in fear. They even wielded gleaming machetes and steel pipes.
Their leader was a bald man with a severe, stocky build; he had no eyebrows. His body was covered with tiger and leopard print tattoos; his eyes were fierce and malevolent. He wore an insufferably arrogant and insolent expression on his face.
“Boss, that’s him. He’s the one who rescued that little b*tch!”
A man with an ugly and ferocious-looking face said that savagely as he stepped out and pointed at Xiao Luo, who was eating his noodles. It was that horrible guy from today, the one who enslaved the little girl and made her beg.
The bald man threw a vicious glance at Xiao Luo, then he looked up and swept his eyes over the other customers at the stall. He yelled coldly, “Except for this kid, everyone scram!”
The row of customers in front of the stall scattered in all directions, leaving this hornet’s nest.
“Sir, please. We can always talk things out. Please don’t drive away my customers!”
The stall owner hurried forth and pulled out $20 to $40 and stashed the money into the bald man’s pocket.
This area was a district of Jiangcheng; it was also an area that was far away from the city center. This was a case of central authority not being able to penetrate remote areas. Moreover, because of the many factories here, good and bad people intermingled. People from all over the country rubbed shoulders here. Law and order was not well maintained. Hooligans and gangsters often made trouble, so the stall owner thought they were here to collect protection fees again.
The bald man dropped him to the ground with a kick and pointed at him. “This is none of your damn business. Stay on the side obediently, or I’ll chop you up as well.”
But he did not return the money to the stall owner.
The woman quickly ran to help her husband up. She shook her head to signal her husband not to provoke the local mafia boss.