Chapter 121 - Past and Present Lives (Part Two)

“My goodness, are you deaf or what? I asked your boss to come out, not for you to stand here pretending! What are you pretending for? This territory is under our boss Wang’s protection. You want to do business without paying protection fees? Are you looking for trouble?” The blond thug spat out his cigarette butt arrogantly, sneering at the female waitress who looked terrified. “Tell your boss to come out, or I’ll shut down your thriving business for good!”

Protection fees? I shook my head and smiled bitterly. It seemed that in this day and age, running a business without some muscle was impossible—even a large store on the street had gangsters blatantly extorting money. Were the police just sitting idly by? Though I was somewhat displeased, this was clearly a gang matter, and I didn’t want to get involved. I assumed the boss would come out soon and pay the fee to settle things quietly; after all, no one wanted their profitable business disrupted by these thugs.

The lively crowd around us seemed to have heard the thug’s shouts. The more timid customers had already fled, leaving only the braver ones quietly browsing, though no one dared to speak. Within moments, the once bustling venue fell silent. I couldn’t help but lament how, over the years, society had grown more callous and cold-hearted.

“Boss, I really don’t know where he’s gone. How about I call him right now to come sort this out?” Several waiters stepped forward to help, while the young waitress who had been slapped was already sobbing uncontrollably—whether from fear or pain, I couldn’t tell.

“Xiao Qiang, there’s trouble. Let’s not pick anything now; let’s move somewhere else.” Su Xin tugged on my sleeve, clearly worried. She was the kind to avoid trouble at all costs. But Su Xin wasn’t afraid when trouble truly came—like the time at the bar when I fought Teng Tian, she calmly had her father call Zhang Baoqiang to rescue me. Zhang Baoqiang was quite an interesting character. After I returned from receiving an award in the capital, he even came to visit me at home, obviously trying to get into my good graces. He seemed a bit opportunistic but was a dependable errand runner. If I had small matters in C City, he was the kind of local boss I’d want to involve.

Seeing Su Xin reluctant to stay, I nodded, intending to leave with her. But then something caught my eye. Earlier, blocked by the crowd and from a distance, I hadn’t looked closely at the blond thug. Now, upon a closer look, I was stunned—I recognized him!

Yes, that blond-haired punk was the same lowlife I had run into on the bus when I tried to protect Fu Ming. He was there the first time Xia Jianren hit me; I could recognize him even if he turned to dust. Damn it, what a coincidence! Getting here early or late didn’t matter; today I’d run into him again. I had been wanting to teach him a lesson for those punches he dealt me before—now it was going to be effortless!

Heh, I might have been afraid before, lacking strength, but dealing with you now is a piece of cake! Thinking of the times he hit me riled me up. I turned to Su Xin and said, “Xin Xin, why don’t you head home first? I’ve just met someone I need to have a little chat with.”

Su Xin didn’t know my history with him and didn’t quite grasp my meaning, but she trusted me. Although puzzled, she nodded. “Okay, I’ll take a taxi home. Xiao Qiang, remember to call me later.”

“Of course, my wife’s call comes first.” I smiled and made a phone gesture before kissing her cheek. She blushed, pinched my arm, and teased, “You’re mean—always bullying me in public. Well, I’m off. Have fun with your friends, and be sure to get back to Sister Zhang Jing early. Don’t make her angry.”

“Got it. With you around, I wouldn’t dare upset her!” I waved goodbye as Su Xin disappeared into the crowd.

Turning back, I fixed my gaze coldly on the blond thug nearby, a faint sneer curling my lips as I watched their little performance continue.

“Your boss is busy? Does that mean me and my brothers don’t count? So, according to you, only your boss is human, and we’re not?” The blond thug glared at the female waitress who had spoken earlier, his voice dripping with malice. “Fine! Since you’re so fearless, today we’ll teach you a lesson. Come on, brothers! Such a good business, but the boss is a stingy shut-in. Why keep him alive if we don’t take over?”

The thugs behind him chuckled and spread out. If the boss didn’t show soon, they were about to start smashing things. The frightened customers had fled, and even the bold ones were gone. The once lively store had turned into the coldest place on the street. I, too, now stood out like a lone crane among chickens. Without the crowd to shield me, several thugs noticed me, but thinking I was just a customer, they only glared fiercely before backing off.

Just as I was considering whether to intervene, a waitress suddenly rushed down from upstairs, stepping in front of the blond thug to block his path. She scolded sharply, “I won’t let you smash the store! This is a place under the law. How can you behave so lawlessly? Didn’t my brother already pay you this month’s protection fee? What more do you want?”

I took note of the girl. From her tone, she seemed to be the boss’s sister. I scrutinized her a bit more closely. She was about twenty, and quite beautiful—though not as stunning as Su Xin and the others I knew, she carried a graceful aura that was truly admirable. This elegant young woman caught my attention, though I only saw her profile at the moment, so I held back from making too many judgments.

“Paid? Miss, you must be mistaken. Your brother didn’t pay us—he paid the old boss who controlled this place last month. Sorry, but this month the Axe Gang is managing this turf, so you’ll have to pay us again!” The blond thug seemed momentarily stunned by her beauty, his tone softening slightly. “Heh, pretty girl, don’t blame me for being ruthless. I’m just following orders from the big boss. Brothers, let’s remind this boss who’s in charge—smash it!”

“Alright!” The thugs shouted eagerly, rolling up their sleeves to start. The elegant girl looked anxious and hurried forward to grab the blond thug’s arm. “I won’t let you smash the store! Don’t touch my brother’s store!”

“Get lost!” The blond thug, irritated by her interference, roughly shoved her aside. She stumbled backward with a startled cry, about to crash into a corner pillar.

In a flash, I moved behind her and caught her, steadying her before she could fall. She felt my support and turned her head to whisper, “Thank you.”

“No…” I was about to say “You’re welcome,” but when I saw her beautiful face, I froze in place.

How could it be her? Why was it her? Staring at this girl so familiar it was impossible to be mistaken, I was filled with confusion and surprise. I never imagined in this life I would meet again the beautiful girl I knew in my past life…