Back in East City District, it was nearly 9 o’clock.
The strange incident that occurred deep in West Mountain was also forgotten by everyone.
Due to rushing to the shooting range for training, Fang Cheng and Ma Donghe didn’t even have time for dinner.
When the car was about to reach Old Factory Street.
To thank them for their help, Fang Cheng planned to treat them to a slightly fancier little restaurant nearby.
Helplessly, his wallet was thin now, so he couldn’t be too picky.
However, Ma Donghe showed no interest in going to a restaurant for dinner, and directly suggested going to North Corner Night Market for a barbecue feast.
Fang Cheng was slightly pleased upon hearing this and naturally went along with the suggestion.
The colorful neon lights flickered, and the night at North Corner was a mix of dragons and snakes, bursting with an unusual vitality not seen during the day.
A gray second-hand sedan slowly drove on the busy street.
"I know a food stall where the barbecue is fantastic, haven’t had it for a long time, really been craving it..."
Sitting in the car, Ma Donghe vividly described all kinds of delicious foods, as if he could already smell the enticing aroma.
Fang Cheng listened to him prattling while his eyes watched the passing neon signs.
Suddenly, his expression became focused and he said:
"Wait, stop the car."
Huanghai, hearing this, immediately hit the brakes.
The car window rolled down, and Fang Cheng poked his head out.
Then he shouted to a slender figure a few meters away:
Hearing this call, a girl dragging a sack in the crowd instantly turned her head to look over.
When her gaze fell on Fang Cheng’s face inside the car.
Her amber-colored big eyes instantly sparkled with joy.
Fang Cheng revealed a smile and waved at her.
Wen Xin quickly ran over.
However, seeing other people inside the car, she became somewhat shy, and her torn sack was inadvertently pulled back.
"Haven’t had dinner yet, come join us."
Fang Cheng spoke familiarly with her.
Wen Xin sneakily glanced at the two people in the front row, shook her head, and didn’t dare to respond.
"You must be Fang Cheng’s sister, right?"
Seeing this situation, Ma Donghe immediately leaned over and interjected:
"Don’t be afraid, although we’re not good people, we definitely won’t bully little girls."
While speaking, he even squeezed out a smile that he thought was friendly and amicable.
Honestly, this appearance of his didn’t at all look like he was Ma Jianguo’s biological son.
Wen Xin’s thin shoulders trembled slightly, appearing even more frightened.
Unable to stand it, Fang Cheng got out of the car, took the sack, and put it in the trunk.
Then he brought her to sit in the back seat.
Wen Xin seemed to ride in a car for the first time, looking around curiously.
When her gaze moved to two uncles with tattoos, who also had injuries, her eyes narrowed, and she quickly lowered her head.
Seeing this, Fang Cheng then bolstered her courage:
"Don’t be afraid, if these two bad guys dare to bully you, I will punch them into real cripples!"
Hearing this, Wen Xin couldn’t help but chuckle, a slight smile appearing on her lips.
Huanghai, holding the steering wheel, however, trembled with both hands.
Seemingly recalling the experience of being beaten up previously, causing the car to veer slightly.
Ma Donghe also had a grimacing face.
Not to mention that his arm hadn’t fully healed from the fracture.
Even if he was physically intact, he was very likely no match for the "monster" sitting beside him.
At the North Corner Night Market, inside a hastily constructed food stall.
The flames of the stir-fry rose three feet high, and the smell of cooking oil mixed with the fragrance of onions and garlic wafted through the air.
Chicken wings, sausages, and grilled fish on the grill hissed and oozed oil, scattering a tempting aroma.
Fang Cheng and the others sat at a foldable dining table by the road, clinked glasses, chugged a gulp of beer, and then bit into a grilled skewer.
Tomorrow would be the start of the New Year holiday, and the number of citizens visiting the night market in the evening visibly increased.
The seats in the food stall were crowded, with constant loud voices, and the table was a mess with oily stains and stacked dishes.
The group didn’t mind at all and continued to eat deliciously.
"Fang Cheng, I really admire your accomplishments at such a young age, brother here, really lived over thirty years in vain..."
Ma Donghe had already downed 10 bottles of beer, became slightly drunk, and began to sigh deeply.
Huang Mao sat on the side, occasionally adding a few words.
Fang Cheng listened attentively, continuously pouring beer for him, urging him to keep talking.
Wen Xin was burying her head in a skewer of chicken wings, almost licking the bones clean, and continued to chew on them.
The atmosphere at the table was each doing their thing, enjoying themselves.
Despite Ma Donghe’s bear-like stature, his tolerance for alcohol was no different from an ordinary person’s.
At this point, his speech was rather broad-mouthed, directly spilling some of the embarrassing things he had done.
It all started with fighting and truancy during his school days.
To stepping into society, aspiring to be a Jianghu hero, only to end up more useless as he got involved deeper, even being despised when out to collect debts.
Now stepping into middle age, he began to feel bewildered about his future, unsure of what he could still do.
As he spoke, he suddenly started crying, fiercely slapped himself, cursing himself for being a useless person who couldn’t even take care of his brothers.
Huang Mao felt incredibly awkward hearing this, hurriedly advising him to drink less.
Ma Donghe’s face turned red, and he fixed his neck and looked at Fang Cheng:
"Ah Cheng, let me ask you a question."
"In your eyes, am I a complete jerk amongst jerks?"
Fang Cheng didn’t make a sound, peeled a salt-pepper mantis shrimp, and placed it in Wen Xin’s bowl.
From Ma Donghe’s drunken words earlier, he probably knew why he was emotionally unstable.
In the chaotic battle where Poison Snake Gang was annexed by Red Tiger Gang, one of Ma Donghe’s closest brothers, Ah Dong, and the gang leader he considered as his elder brother, were brutally slain by chaotic stabs.
As for himself, he also suffered severe injuries and almost lost his life.
Perhaps this experience has harshly awoken him.
Fang Cheng didn’t harbor much sympathy.
Since one has chosen the path of Jianghu, one must be prepared to be laid down on the streets.
Still, he said a few comforting words and asked the boss to clear away the remaining beer.
During this late-night meal, they also encountered Ah Fei and others.
They ran over to show their eagerness to help, but seeing Ma Donghe’s crazed drunken state, they didn’t dare to provoke him and quickly slipped away.
Thus, three sober individuals ended up sitting with one drunken fool for another half hour before they cleared the table to leave.
Watching Huang Mao struggle to get Ma Donghe into the car, they slowly disappeared into the blurry city night.
Fang Cheng’s eyes were clear, and then he walked slowly with Wen Xin towards Old Factory Street.
With his current physical condition, alcohol was actually hard to affect him much.
They arrived at the basement of the tubular building.
Wen Xin took out the key and cautiously opened the door.
Then, she tiptoed up and pressed the light switch by the door.
A tungsten bulb lit up, revealing the dimly lit conditions inside the room.
The cramped one-bedroom apartment had only a wooden plank bed and a table as furniture.
The room was littered with disorganized daily necessities and trash, with no place to cook.
The remnants of some dumplings were left in two bowls placed in a corner, and a rat’s shadow darted by.
At this moment, Wen Xin’s mother was lying on the cold cement floor.
Seemingly having inhaled powder again, she murmured dream-like words.
Fang Cheng frowned slightly, carried her onto the bed, and covered her with a cloth.
Then he turned around, only to see Wen Xin awkwardly clutching a bag with a timid expression.
"Brother Cheng, will you despise me?"
Her eyes fluttering, she looked at Fang Cheng and asked softly.
"Of course not," Fang Cheng was momentarily taken aback.
It seemed that receiving a firm response, Wen Xin’s tensed small face visibly relaxed.
Before leaving, Fang Cheng remembered something and thus instructed:
"Wen Xin, don’t go out tomorrow afternoon. Stay at home and wait for brother to come back, alright?"
Wen Xin didn’t ask why, but sincerely nodded in agreement.
After bidding her farewell, Fang Cheng quickly walked upstairs, heading home.
Passing by a metal gate, he suddenly stopped.
After hesitating for a moment, he raised his hand and knocked on the door.
"Brother Cheng, is there something wrong this late?"
When the door opened, Zhou Xiumei had a faintly red pretty face, puzzledly looking at Fang Cheng.
Fang Cheng thought for a moment, then began to speak:
"Xiu Mei, there’s something I need your help with, could you please?"
Standing at the door, listening to Fang Cheng explain everything.
Zhou Xiumei’s eyes faintly twinkled, and she nodded vigorously.
"Brother Cheng, please trust me, I will handle this matter well."