Having sent Black Three and his cronies packing, Li Lianshan turned to Ye Qing and said, "What exactly is going on? We're already here. Why bother with these punks when a phone call would have sufficed?"
Zhao Chengshuang looked around in astonishment and asked, "Since when did this area become your turf?"
After Old Five Chen bit the dust, no one's been in charge around here for a while. My spots are just around the corner, so the little issues here aren't hard to handle," Li Lianshan explained, then said, "Come on, let's not sit around here. Let's go have some fun at my place."
"Hold on," Ye Qing said, glancing at the little girl beside him. "We haven't eaten yet."
Noticing the little girl clutching a plastic bag, a trace of pity flashed through Li Lianshan's eyes. He looked around and exclaimed, "Damn, where's the cook? Where did the chef run off to?"
The stall owner stood afar, hesitating whether to flee. With Black Three gone, he was, of course, even more afraid of Li Lianshan. But since this was his livelihood, he was reluctant to abandon it. Now being called by Li Lianshan, he shivered, considering stepping back, but his legs were already weakening, making it impossible to walk away.
"Damn, didn't you hear our brother calling you? Come here!"
One of Li Lianshan's underlings waved to the stall owner, who walked over trembling. He glanced at Li Lianshan, then at Ye Qing and the others, his face ashen, his body shaking nonstop.
Li Lianshan turned to look at him and began, "You…"
Before he could finish, the stall owner cried inconsolably, pleading, "Big brother, I was wrong, I was wrong. Please forgive me. I won't dare do it again…"
Li Lianshan frowned, turned to Ye Qing, and asked, "What did he do?"
"This bastard..." Zhao Chengshuang perked up, about to say something when Ye Qing patted him on the shoulder and shook his head at Li Lianshan, saying, "It's nothing."
Li Lianshan knew Ye Qing's character well. If the stall owner hadn't done anything too outrageous, he wouldn't dwell on it. Judging by Zhao Chengshuang's reaction, it likely involved some disrespectful, condescending behavior.
"Enough talk," Li Lianshan waved dismissively at the stall owner and ordered, "Whip up a few dishes, and make it quick."
The stall owner, startled, thought Ye Qing might use Li Lianshan's presence to trouble him. But instead, Ye Qing had covered for him. Gratefully, the stall owner glanced at Ye Qing and quickly nodded in agreement, "Right away, right away."
The stall owner, overjoyed, ran off to cook. Zhao Chengshuang looked at Ye Qing and remarked, "You, I just can't figure you out. Sometimes you're colder than anyone, killing without batting an eye. Other times, you're more compassionate than Buddha himself, ignoring even those who step on your face."
Ye Qing glanced at the stall owner and said, "Being mercenary isn't a crime."
"Well, I'm not like you; we who are out here value our dignity. If any bastard looks down on me, I'd risk my life just to reclaim my respect," Li Lianshan pulled up a chair and sat down, continuing, "In our line of work, if you lose your reputation, you're finished."
Zhao Chengshuang sneered, "That's why there's no security in what you do, always fighting and killing. Can't you just settle down a bit?"
"You can't put it that way," Li Lianshan retorted. "Without us folks, you wouldn't have peace either!"
Zhao Chengshuang dryly retorted, shifting his mouth to the side, and Black Bear curiously asked, "How come without you, they wouldn't have peace either?"
"Society just works like that, with every profession necessary," Li Lianshan explained. "Just take people like us, from ancient times till now, there's never been a shortage in our trade. Look at all those idle hooligans on the streets. If they had no income, what would they be up to? There's a saying, 'Poverty breeds deceit,' and it's true.
When people get desperate, they most likely start scheming to make money," Li Lianshan pointed at his followers, saying, "Take these bastards for instance. Before following me, what didn't they do? Robberies, thefts, you name it. But since they've been with me, ask them, have they done anything like that?"
Black Bear looked at Li Lianshan's followers, then back at him, remarking, "You keep them on a tight leash."
"It's not about strict control!" Li Lianshan waved dismissively. "After they joined me, they help manage my spots and get a steady income each month. With money in hand and a comfortable life, who would want to commit crimes? Not to mention, when they were under Old Five Chen, they were all well-behaved.
Old Five Chen hasn't been gone long, just ask Zhao Chengshuang how much trouble has stirred up in the North City District recently."
Black Bear looked to Zhao Chengshuang, who helplessly waved his hands, saying, "Don't listen to him talk; making it sound like the underworld is somehow justified!"
"What underworld!" Li Lianshan proudly adjusted his collar, declaring, "I call it entrepreneurship!"
By then, the stall owner had cooked up several dishes and served them. With Li Lianshan there, he worked doubly hard. The dishes were meticulously cooked and tasted genuinely good.
Ye Qing sat the little girl beside him at another chair and handed her a pair of chopsticks. The girl timidly looked at the people around the table but couldn't resist the food's allure. Grabbing the chopsticks, she wolfed down the food, occasionally stuffing some into her plastic bag.
"Slow down, slow down, don't choke," Li Lianshan directed, serving her dishes while pouring her water. Ever since he had taken on a godson, handling children had become especially smooth for him.
"What's with this child?" Li Lianshan asked.
Black Bear said, "I don't know either. When I came over just now, she was over there begging for food. When she pulled on that woman's clothes, the woman complained that she dirtied the clothes, and then the man dragged her by the arm and threw her to the ground. I couldn't stand it, so I went over to help."
"Fuck, why didn't you say so earlier!" Li Lianshan slammed the table and said, "Who hit her? Was it Black Three? Bastard, picking on such a small child, is he still human? Monkey, take some guys and grab that bastard Black Three for me, I'm going to give him a good beating today!"
"Forget it, no need," Ye Qing stopped Li Lianshan.
"The captain had already punished that guy." Black Bear looked at the little girl and said, "It's just that this child looks quite pitiable, and I don't know whether she got lost or what."
"She's not lost," Ye Qing shook his head.
"How do you know?" Li Lianshan asked in surprise, "Do you know her?"
Ye Qing nodded, turned to Zhao Chengshuang who was eating at the side, "Chengshuang, have you seen her before?"
Zhao Chengshuang, with a piece of meat in his mouth, said, "I haven't seen her, what's up?"
Ye Qing said, "You told me last time that you guys rescue disabled people and children and contact their families to take them back. If the families can't be reached, you send them to orphanages or shelters, right?"
"Yes, what about it?" Zhao Chengshuang glanced at the little girl, then suddenly had a realization and said, "Damn, this... this little girl isn't someone you've saved before, is she?"
Ye Qing just looked at him quietly; Zhao Chengshuang's face changed dramatically, and he said in a deep voice, "What's going on? What's going on?"
Li Lianshan looked at Zhao Chengshuang, then at Ye Qing, and said, "What are you guys talking about?"
Zhao Chengshuang was about to explain when suddenly, far away, two police cars, sirens blaring, sped toward them. They pulled up beside the stall, and several police officers jumped out. The girl who was just with the Prince also emerged distinctly among them, looking over here proudly.
No wonder she had said earlier she would have her uncle come to arrest Ye Qing and the others—it turned out her uncle was a policeman.
"Uncle, it's them. They just harassed me and hit my boyfriend!" The girl walked over with a policeman and pointed at Ye Qing and the others, complaining.
The policeman, probably in his late thirties or early forties and looking like a deputy captain or something, was apparently flaunting his authority while drunk, staggering over and pointing at Ye Qing, "Damn it, was it you three bullying my niece just now? Making trouble in the middle of the night, looking for death, are you?"
Li Lianshan recognized the policeman, frowned, and stood up saying, "Old Yuan, it's me."
Old Yuan glanced at Li Lianshan and said, "Oh, Boss Li. What's the matter, are they your friends? I'm telling you, if you consider me a friend, don't meddle in this today. This is my own niece; if I don't settle this matter today, how the hell am I supposed to keep face in the future?"
The girl looked at Ye Qing and the others triumphantly, as if mocking their inability to bring someone significant enough to the scene.
Li Lianshan with a helpless face said, "Old Yuan, go back for now, I'll come and speak to you personally another day."
Old Yuan repeatedly waved his hand and said, "Talk my ass, we need to settle this matter here today. You stay out of it, or we won't even remain friends!"
"Old Yuan…" Li Lianshan still wanted to say something, but Old Yuan was more decisive, throwing his head back and bellowing, "Li Lianshan, are you really going to take sides?"
Li Lianshan immediately fell silent; he tried pulling Old Yuan aside for his own good. Unbelievably, this guy, having had a few drinks, couldn't read the room and was determined to make a scene.
"Forget it, Old Li, they're not giving you any respect, just stop pulling," Zhao Chengshuang said gleefully, while also looking at Old Yuan with a smile. Actually, he pretty much knew who Old Yuan was and who he worked under.
"Damn it, you cripple, you really talk unpleasantly!" Old Yuan walked up to Zhao Chengshuang and glared, "What are you laughing at, was it you guys bullying my niece just now?"
"Uncle, he even told me to get lost!" The girl's eyes filled with tears, looking pitiful, as if she had forgotten how she had pushed the little girl down earlier.
Old Yuan was even more furious, glared at Zhao Chengshuang, and bellowed, "Did you say that?"
"Right, it was me!" Zhao Chengshuang said lightly, glancing at the police cars behind Old Yuan, "It's the Qili Street squad, isn't it? Hou Qiang is also working there, right?"
"Hou Qiang?" Old Yuan was taken aback and said, "That's our captain; mind your words, none of this 'guy' business!"