pjbooks Chapter 69 [Scared?]
Chapter 69 [Scared?]
Chapter 69 [Scared?]
As the stall closes for the day, the fire in the stove is about to go out, but the iron plate is still warm.
Liu Zhuohao was deftly scraping charred meat scraps off the cutting board with a shovel when a street vendor from the next block, packing up his cart, pushed his way by and called out, "Hey, Boss Liu, hiring new people again?"
Without looking up or stopping his hands, he said with a smile, "Yeah, I'm getting ready for my little brother to start grilling steaks. We were short-handed, so we've added two more."
Amidst the rising steam and cooking fumes, Huang Weixiong's figure approached.
He leaned closer, his voice low and his throat tight: "Boss—tonight, those people keeping watch—didn't come."
As he spoke, he drifted away into the distance, deliberately avoiding landing on Cheng Bing and Yang Boran, who were tidying up the tables and chairs.
They didn't intend to involve the two newcomers in this matter, let alone let them know about it.
Liu Zhuohao's scraping motion paused subtly for a moment.
He looked up, his eyes etched with the weariness of the past few days, a faint bluish tinge beneath them, his face drowsy. But these words amused him: "Oh, didn't they come every day before?"
"We just unveiled the display board yesterday and introduced our new menu, and they're not coming tonight. They've caught up with us so quickly."
"So particular? Does that mean you're paid daily?"
He simply stopped and gently placed the shovel on the edge of the board, the metal making a clear clanging sound.
Huang Weixiong didn't laugh; his face remained tense.
Beside them, Li Zekai quietly moved closer. The three of them stood behind the old food cart that had not yet been cleaned up, and the sunlight seemed to fall on the two newcomers who were tidying up the tables and chairs in the distance.
"I think so. They were here yesterday." Li Zekai's voice tightened even more. "The day before yesterday, I pretended to borrow a chair and followed one of them. He met someone at the intersection. It was dark, and it seemed like he handed something over."
"7
"Money?" Liu Zhuohao asked.
"Most likely," Huang Weixiong said in a muffled voice. "I've been thinking about it; those people, young and old, don't look like they're from the same family."
"Where would we find thirty-odd people to come and block us every day? They must be hired."
Liu Zhuohao took out a cigarette and lit it.
The scarlet light flickered under the dim streetlights, accompanied by a puff of smoke.
"so----"
He exhaled a puff of smoke, his voice flat and even, "What kind of people do you think they are?"
The two exchanged a glance. Huang Weixiong spoke first: "They're definitely in the same line of work."
After saying that, he added, "—most likely."
As he was speaking, Li Zekai was about to reply.
Cheng Bing and Yang Boran, who were watching from a distance, were about to walk over when Cheng Bing quickly fell silent.
"Go away, we're evaluating your performance on your first day at the stall tonight, don't come over and eavesdrop."
Huang Weixiong called out, "If you have some free time, go and buy a few late-night snacks. I want rice noodle rolls, but the boss's doesn't have preserved radish."
The loud voice made the two people who walked over purse their lips and stop, then headed outside.
"They're in the same industry."
After the two left, Li Zekai spoke again, his tone very certain, "We just unveiled the 'Original Cut Steak' sign today, and they stopped coming. It's obvious they came to see our new trick."
He stopped mid-sentence, his eyes widening in surprise.
"Wait, among the people who spent so much time looking at the sign tonight—" his voice was dry, "—could there be the real person among them?"
'
Huang Weixiong's limbs were tense. He subconsciously wanted to raise his hand to touch the camera on his head, to pull out the SD card and insert it into his phone to check the video content.
But as soon as he raised his hand, he forced himself to stop.
Liu Zhuohao nodded and flicked his cigarette ash: "You're quick-witted, keep going."
Encouraged, Li Zekai's thinking became clearer: "It's hard to say about the shops next to us, but the stalls at the end of the street are more likely. Our area is popular, but less people will flow to them."
"It's normal to be envious."
Listening to this, Liu Zhuohao threw the question back to Huang Weixiong: "What did my cousin say?"
Huang Weixiong licked his dry lips: "Brother Yue told us to pretend we don't know anything for now, and to save all the footage of those people causing trouble with the cameras. He'll come over on Friday and we'll see if we call the police or—report it to the community service center."
As he spoke the last few words, his voice unconsciously lowered, and Li Zekai, who was standing next to him, also looked gloomy.
"But Brother Yue also mentioned it—"
Huang Weixiong's voice was almost a whisper, trembling in the night wind, as he stammered, "This place is small, and the community service center—may not be of much use."
"It's possible they—they might be in cahoots."
The initial excitement on the faces of the two recent graduates, who had just discovered a clue, was instantly overshadowed by a layer of bewilderment.
In TV dramas, those scenes that make you angry are now so sticky and tangled in front of you, leaving you with no way to resist.
Liu Zhuohao watched the cigarette butt burn quietly. It was normal for his cousin to have such speculations.
After all, when I first opened my business, I asked him to help me check all my certificates. He reminded me that doing business in a small city is far less lucrative than in a big city, both behind the scenes and in the background.
After a moment, he stubbed out his cigarette, his voice not loud, but it immediately drew their attention back.
"Are you scared?" he asked.
Huang Weixiong and Li Zekai remained silent, but their unpleasant expressions spoke volumes.
What can ordinary people do when they encounter this kind of situation?
Liu Zhuohao suddenly smiled.
"It's good to be afraid; it means you're starting to grow up." He patted Huang Weixiong on the shoulder. "Remember what Brother Yue said: keep the evidence safe. As for the community service center—"
He paused, his gaze drifting to the dimly lit street. "They'd better not be in cahoots."
His tone was cold.
Fourteen years later, the Internet and even smartphones are not yet fully widespread.
Some people in small towns really think they're far removed from the emperor's reach!
The next day, as daylight streamed through the window of the rented room, Liu Zhuohao sat at the table, his phone propped up in front of him, making a video call to his cousin.
The video call connected.
My cousin Liu Zhuoyue sat by the floor-to-ceiling window of the law firm, the city skyline looming in the background. He loosened his tie and his first words were, "Your two young buddies are pretty reliable."
Liu Zhuohao didn't respond, waiting for what would follow.
"The evidence was collected well, and you didn't alert the enemy." The cousin's tone was approving, but he quickly changed the subject, "However, Ah Hao, I have to say something first."
He leaned back in his chair, looking helpless: "Even if I go there on Friday, there's not much I can do. At most, I can look at the articles and give you some legal advice."
"Any deeper, I can't suppress it with my current identity. You know, I'm still an intern."
Liu Zhuohao looked at the screen and tapped his finger lightly on the table.
"But I got in touch with my senior brother for you, he's really capable," my cousin continued. "Don't worry about the price, I'll keep an eye on it, he won't rip off his own people, and the key thing is—"
His face was full of "I knew this would happen" expressions. "In our hometown, as you said before, people value relationships over rules and are more concerned with feelings than reason."
"Even if this kind of thing is brought to the table, it will most likely end up being a compromise, with both sides bearing equal blame. If you want to go through the proper procedures and force it—"
My cousin shook his head; the unfinished words were all in that shake of his head.
This matter would be handled very differently in a big city.
His senior brother doesn't even need to step in. As long as he organizes the evidence, writes a statement and other documents, submits them to his superiors, and goes through the procedures to put pressure on the department in charge, the problem will most likely be solved.
At least people in smaller cities certainly wouldn't dare to openly cause trouble for their employees anymore, but that might not be the case in smaller cities.