Chapter 38: We've Been Set Up

In the end, Chen Xuewen purchased both shops for the price of five yuan.

When Zhou Jinghui signed the contract, his fingers were trembling. He was furious. To be honest, if Chen Xuewen hadn't paid a dime, he wouldn't have been this angry. But paying only five yuan? That was a goddamn insult!

Still, Zhou Jinghui didn't lash out in the end. After all, he had endured for so long; there was no point in failing at the very last moment.

After signing the contract, Chen Xuewen smiled and said, "Brother Hui, thank you very much. When we hold the grand opening, I sincerely hope you'll come to show your support!"

Zhou Jinghui forced a smile. "No problem."

Chen Xuewen exchanged a few more pleasantries with a cheerful air. As he walked toward the door, his eyes suddenly lit up when he spotted two bottles of liquor on the table.

"Lai Hou, grab those two bottles. Brother Hui brought them specifically for me; it’s a gesture of his kindness. Even if I don't drink them, I should take them back to display and look at every day. It’s the thought that counts, right, Brother Hui?"

Zhou Jinghui pressed both hands onto the table, his nails scraping against the surface with a screeching sound. The veins on his forehead were pulsing.

He eventually managed to squeeze out a smile. "Yes, exactly."

Lai Hou immediately went over, packed the two bottles, and followed Chen Xuewen out in high spirits. Not long after the two of them stepped out of the room, they heard a loud crashing sound from behind.

Lai Hou paused, confused. "What was that?"

Chen Xuewen sneered. "He’s smashing plates."

Inside the private room, the place was in chaos. Every plate from the table lay shattered on the floor. Zhou Jinghui stood by the table, shaking with rage.

Little Ma stood to the side with his head bowed, his face deathly pale. He had never seen Zhou Jinghui this furious before.

"Brother Hui, that bastard Chen Xuewen is pushing us too far! If you hadn't signaled me earlier, I would have stabbed him right then and there!" Little Ma gritted his teeth.

Zhou Jinghui didn't respond. He stood by the window, watching Chen Xuewen and Lai Hou drive away, his expression turning increasingly icy.

"You were right not to act, Little Ma. I received news this morning that while in prison, this kid surnamed Chen single-handedly crippled Scarface. He even brought all of Scarface's subordinates to heel."

Little Ma’s eyes widened. "Scarface!? You can't be serious?"

Scarface was a significant figure in the underworld, no less formidable than Little Ma himself.

Zhou Jinghui looked at Little Ma deeply and said coldly, "And the most critical part is that after crippling Scarface and severely injuring several others in prison, he escaped. Yet, he faced no consequences and was released without charges! Do you know what that signifies?"

Little Ma gasped. Even if he were dull-witted, he could guess that Chen Xuewen’s background was far from simple.

"Brother Hui, what if this kid comes back to cause us more trouble later?" Little Ma asked, sounding worried.

Zhou Jinghui sneered. "That is exactly why I gave him those two gaming arcades. I told you before—the best way to deal with someone is to let someone else do the dirty work."