627: Chapter 40: Once You Enter the Underworld, It’s as Deep as the Sea 627: Chapter 40: Once You Enter the Underworld, It’s as Deep as the Sea There are still many things that need to be done and require direct relatives to plete…
This part no longer concerns Luo Qiu.
He returned to his room.
He opened the door and walked into the living room, turning on the lights in the living room as he passed by.
At this moment, a person who was originally sitting on the long wooden bench in the living room became clear instantly.
It was Da Zhe…
as the lights came on, Da Zhe was also watching Luo Qiu.
He observed this young man calmly continue closing the door after turning on the lights.
“Have you been here long?”
“You really have a lot of guts…” Da Zhe shook his head, “Last time too, it’s like you’re not afraid of anything.
Generally speaking, anyone who suddenly turns on the lights and sees a stranger in their home would be at least a little startled.”
“We’ve already met.” Luo Qiu said calmly, “So you’re not really a stranger…
So?”
Da Zhe knew what he was asking – he had left a note saying he wouldn’t e again, but since he was here now, he had to explain himself…
So he looked at Luo Qiu and hesitated, “I saw you guys having dinner, and later heard crying, is the old lady…”
“Very peaceful.” Luo Qiu nodded slightly.
“I thought so…” Da Zhe lowered his head, lost in thought – he had mentally prepared himself for this since he understood more about this house, nominally owned by Luo Qiu, as he often sneaked in during his ex-wife’s visits with their child before official residence was resumed.
“What is this?” Da Zhe asked subconsciously as he saw the cup Luo Qiu handed to him.
“It’s tea brewed with osmanthus syrup, made from leftover bits.” Luo Qiu smiled, “Do you want some food?
There’s some reunion rice cake left, made by Grandma Xiao Chun.
You probably haven’t eaten yet, right?”
Da Zhe nodded silently.
Luo Qiu walked into the kitchen, and a moment later, came out with a small bowl.
Da Zhe quietly ate one rice cake after another.
What kind of taste is this?
Da Zhe thought that if he could have eaten it with his ex-wife’s family, at least it wouldn’t feel as bad as it does now…
at least it would be a different kind of life experience.
“Did you e back just to see the old lady?” Luo Qiu suddenly asked while looking at the light fixture on the ceiling.
“Consider it so.” Da Zhe didn’t want to talk much about himself – he didn’t even plan to e inside here.
But his identity was really not suitable to appear in front of everyone.
He wanted to clarify some things, purely out of respect for Grandma, who even after he was imprisoned, would visit him, and it was only with this young person who didn’t seem to reject him that he could talk.
Luo Qiu suddenly brought a chair, stacked another smaller one on top, and climbed onto it, reaching into the ceiling light fixture as if trying to find something inside.
“How long…
will you stay around here?” Da Zhe asked curiously, “Until the old lady’s affairs are handled?”
“Should be.” Luo Qiu nodded, “Anyway, I have plenty of free time.
Actually, if you want to stay here it’s okay too, I mentioned before that as long as you don’t touch anything else, there’s no problem…
Ah, found it.”
Luo Qiu took out a small object from the light fixture.
“What’s this…”
“A tooth.” Luo Qiu smiled, “My father’s tooth.
There’s a little custom like this, when children lose their teeth, adults would throw them onto the roof, light fixtures and such, saying it would help new teeth grow faster.
I noticed it yesterday and didn’t plan to take it down, thought it was fine to leave it there.
But…
hmm, I’ve been talking about things you’re not interested in, sorry.”
Da Zhe shook his head, somehow he always felt a sense of quiet from this young person.
He unconsciously quieted down and smiled faintly, “It’s nothing, I haven’t chatted with anyone for a long time…
It’s nice.”
“Would you like more rice cake?”
“Well…
just one more bowl.”
Later, Luo Qiu brought pillows and blankets from upstairs, “Since you took all your stuff away, don’t sleep in the storage room tonight.
The living room will do, right?”
Da Zhe silently accepted them.
“I boiled water in the kettle, feel free to use the cups.” Luo Qiu then said, “I won’t disturb your rest.”
“Honestly though…” watching Luo Qiu leave, Da Zhe couldn’t help but stop him, “Aren’t you worried about me?
Aren’t you afraid I’m really a bad person?”
Luo Qiu turned back and said, “Apart from the locked rooms, the rest of the place isn’t as filthy as you’d imagine…
But since it hasn’t been lived in for several years, some things are unreasonable, aren’t they?”
Da Zhe shook his head, “I can’t just live here for free.
Also, it gets boring sometimes, so I end up tidying up a bit…
It’s not much.”
“If it were a bad person…” Luo Qiu thought for a while and said, “Generally, they’d ask for more and contribute as little as possible…
So, goodnight.”
“Wait.” Da Zhe took a deep breath and then hurriedly took out his wallet from his bag, and took out all the money from it.
After thinking for a moment, he kept the scattered small bills and placed all the large notes on the coffee table, looking at Luo Qiu sincerely, “Can you, in your name, send this…
to Tingting’s family, as a sincere gesture?”
“Just leave it there.” Luo Qiu nodded, turned off the living room light, leaving only a small one on, and went straight upstairs.
Under the dimmed lights, Da Zhe, lying down, gradually felt calm, clothed in pajamas…
He hadn’t had such tranquility before sleep in a long time.
Maybe it was the calming effect of the hot tea made with osmanthus syrup…
he thought and gradually drifted into sleep.
Return.
…
…
“Sang Kun, I need to talk to you!”
The shirtless man was holding a heavily made up woman, singing a song – in one of those popular karaoke rooms of this era.
“Ah, I was wondering who it was, isn’t it Brother Zhe?” Sang Kun pushed the woman in his arms aside, looked at the man behind Da Zhe who was sticking close and slammed the table, “Are you two idiots?
Don’t you know Brother Zhe and I are good brothers?!
Get out of here!
What are you doing?!”
After the underlings left, Sang Kun, with a smile on his face, picked up a bottle of beer and stood up, “Brother Zhe, honor to have you here and nothing fancy but this nightclub is yours to enjoy!
I’m treating!”
“Sang Kun, don’t give me all that nonsense.” Da Zhe said calmly, “Let’s talk about Xiao Hu’s matter, and I’ll leave once it’s settled.”
“Xiao Hu?
Which Xiao Hu?” Sang Kun slapped his head, pondering like he had a headache, “Big Cat!
I do have a Big Cat here, I’ll introduce you later.”
“Sang Kun, I’m not here to joke.
I came to ask you, did you set up a trap and swindle Xiao Hu out of half a million?”
“Hey!
My dear Brother Zhe.” Sang Kun said with a face full of grievance, “What setup?
I don’t like what you’re saying.
Everyone on the street knows what kind of person I am.
Would I do such things?
Did you hear some rumors?”
“Sang Kun, if you keep this up, I’ll have to find some elders to judge the situation.”
“It’s just a minor issue.” Sang Kun shrugged, “I say, Da Zhe, do you have to disturb those retired elders?
No need, right?
Besides, you’ve washed your hands of it, why get yourself stuck in trouble?
Just live your peaceful little life, isn’t that enough?”
“I’ll say just one thing, are you counting this money or not?” Da Zhe squinted his eyes.
“My dear Brother Zhe.” Sang Kun rolled his eyes, “I run a small business, if the money can’t be recovered, how do I account for it to the authorities?
Besides, with gambling, it’s mutual consent, no one owes anyone, right?
Oh?
If everyone won money from me it’d be fine, but if they lose they just walk away after a few words, then what do I eat?
What do my brothers following me eat?
Da Zhe, is there anything that easy?”
“Here’s fifty thousand, take it.” Da Zhe said no more, “I’ll settle Xiao Hu’s account with you, but mark my words, if you mess with his family again, don’t blame me for being unkind!”
“Brother Zhe, isn’t fifty thousand a bit too little?
Your good buddy owes me a total of five hundred thousand with interest.”
“Sang Kun, as long as it’s good enough, don’t make everyone unfortable.” Da Zhe said indifferently, “Two hundred thousand, I’ll give you two hundred thousand, and let’s pretend this never happened.
Otherwise, what do you say, Xiao Hu is practically family, is this how you set up against family?
Think about it, if this stirs up and alarms those old uncles, don’t blame me.”
“Hmm…
Okay!
Okay, okay, okay!” Sang Kun swaggered and sat down, “I’ll treat it as a favor for you, Da Zhe.
Three days, within three days let Xiao Hu bring the remaining hundred and fifty thousand to me, serve me tea and apologize, and I’ll act like it never happened.”
“Three days is not enough, let’s make it a week.”
“No problem.” Sang Kun smiled broadly, “Who let me be your little brother before, Brother Zhe.
As you say, no problem!
I’ll give you a full ten days, how about that?”
“Deal.”
…
“Kun, are we just letting this guy walk away like that?”
Sang Kun gave a hard glare at this naive underling, smacking him on the head, “What else do you say we do?
Start a fight with him here?
You go chop?
Don’t you know what kind of person Wei Dazhe is?
At fourteen he carried a watermelon knife from Dongmen Bridge to Ximen Bridge, taking down a dozen people on his own, can you pare?”
“But… but hasn’t he washed his hands of it now?
Do we really need to be afraid of him?”
“Just think of it as saving face for him.” Sang Kun laughed, shaking his leg, “Those retired elders still quite like Wei Dazhe, now he owes me a favor, might e in handy later on.”
“But I heard Xiao Hu seems to have kidnapped a wealthy guy’s son to gather the money.” This underling shook his head, “This Wei Dazhe ing over now, cutting down thirty thousand for you, Kun, isn’t that screwing you over?”
“Is there such a thing?” Sang Kun’s expression darkened, “Are you sure this information is true?”
“For sure!
A buddy of mine saw it.
He said he saw Xiao Hu’s car, grabbed the kid right after school.
Later found out, the kid’s dad is a wealthy guy, making a ton in the garment business!”
“This is getting interesting.” Sang Kun sneered, “That Wei Dazhe, always talking about honor and integrity, pretending to be a good guy…
Pfft, isn’t he doing these shady deals behind people’s backs!”
“Isn’t he?
Such a hypocrite!”
“Hmm…
Did that wealthy guy report it?” Sang Kun thought for a moment and asked.
The underling replied, “Shouldn’t be, we haven’t heard anything about a kidnapping case being reported at the station.”
Sang Kun then smacked this underling on the head again fiercely, “Useless!
Useless fool, such important information and you’re only telling me now!”
“I thought that bastard Xiao Hu was just gathering money to pay you, Kun!
No matter how the money es, it’s ing, isn’t it?
But who knew, that Wei Dazhe came and cut thirty thousand just like that, Boss, it’s not worth it for you!”
“Alright, do this.” Sang Kun suddenly had an idea, “Find a few unfamiliar faces, go keep an eye on that wealthy guy, if anything happens, let me know!”
“Boss, what’s this for?”
“What’s it for?
Use your brain!” Sang Kun sneered, “I want the ransom money, but they have to take the fall!
I want Wei Dazhe’s two hundred thousand, I also want his favor!”
“Hey!
If we play it like this, it’s a perfect plan!”
“Be careful, don’t let anyone find out, and make sure they’re fresh faces!”
“Alright, alright, I’m on it now!”
…
Account balance: 5,421.19.
After leaving the nightclub where Sang Kun was, Da Zhe inserted his bank card into the nearest ATM, glanced at the balance, and then silently withdrew it.
The phone rang at this moment.
“Dragon?” Da Zhe immediately asked upon answering, “Did you guys return the person?
I settled with Sang Kun, ten days, we only need to e up with 150,000.”
“Brother Zhe, something’s wrong!
Xiao Hu backed out!
He took the chance when we weren’t looking to take the kid away!
We can’t find them now!
His phone’s unreachable too!”
…
…
Da Zhe directly opened his eyes.
“Did I wake you up?”
“It’s dawn…” Da Zhe shook his head, glanced at the sky outside, “What time is it?”
“Almost ten.”
“I slept for so long…” Da Zhe rubbed his forehead, cleared his head a bit, and then quickly looked up to ask, “Last night, did anything happen?
Or did you hear anything?”
“A car came just as the day broke.” Luo Qiu replied indifferently, “Transporting a body out…should be nothing else.
Is something going on?”
“No…
nothing.” Da Zhe shook his head, then quickly walked to the window, pulled the curtain slightly, and looked outside, “There’s no one out there now, I’m leaving.”
“I made breakfast, do you want some?”
“No…
no need.”
Too extravagant.
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