Chapter 75: First Glimpse of the Jianghu

For a moment, he couldn't figure out Deputy Tang's intentions, but as their interactions continued, he found them agreeable enough. Jiang Fan, too lazy to concern himself, mischievously slapped Wang Wenyu on the backside and said, "I have nothing now, so whatever his purpose is, if he sells me, I won’t fetch much anyway."

As dusk approached, the national road grew crowded. Wang Wenyu let go of Jiang Fan’s arm, stepped back, shot him a sideways glance, and pouted coquettishly, "On the street, you hold me and that's not enough—now you hit me! What if people see? It’s not proper."

"What do you mean, 'not worth much'? Don’t belittle yourself like that. In my eyes, you’re priceless, you know?"

Wang Wenyu had just dodged his slap when Jiang Fan moved closer, pressed his not yet fully healed lips to her cheek for a kiss, and shamelessly declared, "I’m being affectionate with my wife—what business is it of these passersby? If they're curious, it’s because they're jealous I have such a sweet wife. You should be happy!"

Wang Wenyu knew she was no match for Jiang Fan in banter. Feigning helplessness, she took his arm again and protested, "You rascal, I really can’t handle you. Come on, if we keep fooling around, the market will close."

After grocery shopping, before they reached their building, Xiao Yuxin spotted them and greeted them warmly, "The young couple is back! Don’t bother cooking tonight—I've made soup and stir-fried some greens. Just buy some rice from the restaurant across the street."

Jiang Fan, finding it convenient, smiled and said in mock modesty, "Sister Xin, isn’t this too much?"

Xiao Yuxin replied, "What do you mean? I deliberately made extra to wait for you two, to thank you for helping me at noon."

Wang Wenyu, who admired Xiao Yuxin immensely, wanted to spend more time with her, so she didn’t refuse. She tilted her head mischievously and teased Jiang Fan, "You mangy dog, since when have you become so polite?"

Jiang Fan pinched Wang Wenyu’s cheek and pretended to grumble, "Wife, go ahead and push me around at home, but can’t you let your man save a little face in public?"

Xiao Yuxin chimed in, "A man has the most face when he doesn’t care about it in front of his wife. If you’ve found such a wife, you should cherish her. Sit here and keep an eye on the shop for me while I finish cooking."

Wang Wenyu, holding the vegetables they’d just bought, said to Jiang Fan, "There’s no fridge at home—if we don’t eat these today, they’ll spoil. I’ll take them inside to Sister Xin. You stay here and watch the shop. If anything goes missing, you’ll compensate."

Jiang Fan turned out his pockets. "My pockets are cleaner than my face—what would I use to compensate?"

Wang Wenyu shot him a look, "You wouldn’t take the money when I offered it, so if you can’t compensate, I’ll pawn you here." With that, she walked into the shop.

The commercial street was bustling, especially lively. Jiang Fan was reminded of the market days in his Sichuan hometown and found himself missing his family.

Wang Wenyu went to help Xiao Yuxin pick and wash the vegetables, but Xiao Yuxin politely shooed her out.

Seeing Jiang Fan lost in thought as he watched the crowd, Wang Wenyu casually asked, "What are you thinking about?"

Jiang Fan pointed to the street, "Whenever there was a market day back home—on the third, sixth, or ninth of the month—it was just as lively. After leaving Sichuan to study in Beijing, I haven’t returned in three years. I wonder if my hometown has changed."

Guessing he was thinking of his mother, sisters, and younger sister, Wang Wenyu sat beside him and gently patted his shoulder, comforting him, "Don’t worry. After the New Year, if you have time, I’ll go with you to Sichuan and explain things to your family. They’ll understand you."

Jiang Fan shook his head dispiritedly, "My family scrimped and saved to put me through school, eating pickled vegetables every meal, not even buying meat for New Year’s. When I got into university, my mother’s weathered face finally smiled. Who would have thought their hard work would produce a drifter like me? How can I face them?"

"All roads lead to Rome. You’re still young, and leaving school doesn’t mean you can’t carve out a brilliant life. Think about it—now your monthly salary is three thousand; even with a university degree, you might not earn that much in your first year."

Jiang Fan pulled the comforting Wang Wenyu into his arms, "Luckily, I have you. Otherwise, I wouldn’t know what to look forward to in life."

To cheer him up, Wang Wenyu stood up, pinched his face, and said playfully, "You’ve picked up a wife, so you’re already ahead. For our future, you can’t let yourself go."

Just as she finished, she caught sight of the burly man who’d been with Zeng Sheng that morning, sitting across the street at the Huifeng Restaurant, his eyes fixed on her. Beside him were two other men with a rough look.

At this hour, the restaurant was at its busiest. The tables inside and those set up outside were all occupied, and some customers had left for lack of seats. The three burly men monopolized a table without ordering food, and the owner didn’t dare ask them to leave, even providing free tea.

Xiao Yuxin brought out the freshly stir-fried greens and said to Wang Wenyu, "Xiao Yu, help me bring out the small square table next to the cash register. Let’s eat at the shop entrance and keep an eye on business."

Wang Wenyu went inside, brought out the table, and saw the burly man still making suggestive faces at her, which made her angry.

Her hints had no effect, and now he was openly provoking her. Wang Wenyu was furious, but remembering Jiang Fan was injured, she held back.

After setting up the table, she asked Xiao Yuxin, "Sister Xin, do you know the three guys sitting at Huifeng’s door?"

Xiao Yuxin turned to look and nodded, "I know the one in the middle—his name is Ah Sheng. He’s a local, Brother Lu’s underling. He collects protection fees from all the shops and vendors in this area."

"This morning, I saw him with Zeng Sheng. Is he Zeng Sheng’s henchman?"

Jiang Fan, knowing Wang Wenyu wasn’t one for gossip, only now paid attention to the scene across the street.

Ah Sheng, seeing Jiang Fan looking over, whistled at him, then continued making suggestive faces at Wang Wenyu, full of contempt.

Jiang Fan, furious, stood up to confront Ah Sheng.

Wang Wenyu hurriedly pulled him back, "You’re injured, and he hasn’t really done anything. Let it go."

Jiang Fan shook off her hand and pointed across the street, "No one messes with my wife—not even the king of heaven. That bastard openly provokes us and blows kisses at you. If I don’t smash his mouth, I’m not a man."

Xiao Yuxin, seeing Jiang Fan’s rage, reached out to stop him.

But Jiang Fan hurried across the street and confronted Ah Sheng directly, "You just whistled at me. Looking for trouble, huh?"

Ah Sheng sneered and stood up, "So what if I am?"

Jiang Fan kicked Ah Sheng in the chest, "So what? That’s what!"

Ah Sheng staggered back, crashing onto a restaurant table. Plates and bowls tumbled to the floor, frightening the diners, who fled the restaurant.

The two men with Ah Sheng immediately grabbed their steel-framed wooden stools and swung them at Jiang Fan’s head.

Jiang Fan carefully shielded his left arm, kicked over the table in front of him, sending it crashing into one of the men, then snatched Ah Sheng’s stool, dodged the other attacker, and swung it right into his face.

The blow was heavy—the stool knocked out two teeth from the attacker.

As the attacker crouched in pain, Jiang Fan swung the stool at the other man, who had been hit by the table.

With the two henchmen dealt with easily, Jiang Fan charged at Ah Sheng, who was just getting up, and drove his knee into his groin, then smashed the stool onto his head.

The commercial street, notorious for petty theft, was also a place where security officers could earn extra money. As night fell, at least two or three patrol motorcycles covered the kilometer-long stretch.

A few security officers, seeing Ah Sheng involved in a fight, stopped their motorcycles to help. But spotting Jiang Fan, they quickly restarted and left without turning off their engines.

Jiang Fan planted a foot on the chest of the writhing Ah Sheng and slapped his face insultingly, "Now do you know what I mean by 'so what'?"

Ah Sheng glared at Jiang Fan, "If you’ve got guts, kill me. Otherwise, I’ll never let this go."

"You dare threaten me? ‘Never let this go,’ you say?"

With that, Jiang Fan raised his foot and stomped hard on Ah Sheng’s mouth, "I told you I’d smash your mouth, and now I have. Is it over?"

Ah Sheng held his mouth, still staring at Jiang Fan, but the anger in his eyes had faded, replaced by fear. He dared not retort.

Seeing Ah Sheng silent, Jiang Fan stomped twice more, "I’m asking you—didn’t you hear me? Playing mute now?"

Ah Sheng’s mouth was swollen and bleeding, several teeth knocked out. He stammered, "I was wrong."

Jiang Fan kicked him in the waist, "Louder—I can’t hear you!"

With his mouth swollen, speech was difficult. That kick nearly knocked the wind out of him; after a long moment, he managed to gasp out, "I was wrong. Please let me go."

Wang Wenyu, seeing the fight had ended, hurried over and pulled Jiang Fan, "Are you alright?"

Jiang Fan shook his head and kept his gaze on Ah Sheng, "Now you admit you’re wrong? Didn’t you just make faces at my wife? Keep doing it—let’s see how long your mouth lasts."

Wang Wenyu, seeing Ah Sheng in such a pitiful state, his face deformed, felt a pang of pity and said, "Let it go—it’s not worth getting angry over people like him."

With that, she forcibly pulled Jiang Fan back to the fruit shop.