Chapter 97: Smashing the Gambling Den in Fury

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When Xiao Yuxin saw Wang Wenyu stand up for her and suffer on her behalf, she quickly put her arm around her shoulders to comfort her. “Don’t worry, girl. Sit down and calm yourself for a moment.”

Xiao Yuxin’s soothing words eased Wang Wenyu’s anger a little. She pointed at Lu Zai again, gritting her teeth. “So you’re the street thug Lu everyone talks about? Remember the filth you just spewed. I’ll find out who’s backing a bully like you, giving you the nerve to act so recklessly.”

With that, she shook off Xiao Yuxin’s hand and turned to leave, only to remember she’d come downstairs in her pajamas and hadn’t brought her car keys. She retraced her steps back to the rented apartment.

Hearing Wang Wenyu’s threat, Lu Zai sensed something was off. He glanced at Xiao Yuxin, his tone softening. “Who is she?”

Though she disliked Lu Zai, Xiao Yuxin knew it was best not to offend someone like him. Besides, Jiang Fan and Wang Wenyu sat here together every day; it wasn’t much of a secret.

Expressionless, she replied, “Jiang Fan’s girlfriend.”

“What?” Lu Zai slapped his forehead, suddenly remembering the trouble Zheng Xiaomao had gotten into.

He hurriedly called his men, jumped into his car, and sped off, anxious to find someone who could help him out of this new mess. He was terrified that if he delayed even a little, he might lose his freedom altogether.

The sound of Wang Wenyu unlocking the door to fetch her car keys woke Jiang Fan. When he saw her tear-filled eyes, he immediately lost all trace of sleep and sprang up, asking anxiously, “What’s wrong? Who upset you?”

Jiang Fan’s worried gaze finally made Wang Wenyu burst into tears. She choked out, “That Lu Zai was looking for you, and he called me a whore.”

Jiang Fan was so furious he didn’t even bother with his underwear. He pulled on his pants with one hand, didn’t fasten his belt, grabbed his waistband, and dashed downstairs.

He hadn’t even reached the first floor when he saw a BMW hastily driving away from the gate of the apartment complex.

Seeing Jiang Fan, Xiao Yuxin asked with concern, “How’s the girl?”

Jiang Fan ignored her, pointing at the departing car. “Was that BMW Lu Zai’s?”

Xiao Yuxin nodded honestly. “She just asked me who the girl was, and I told her. You don’t blame me, do you?”

Understanding how hard it was for a single woman with a child to make her way in the world, Xiao Yuxin had merely revealed an identity, nothing of consequence. Jiang Fan shook his head. “It’s not some sort of secret. Why should I blame you? Where does that bastard live? I’m going to find him right now.”

Seeing Jiang Fan rush down in a fury, Wang Wenyu worried about his injuries and regretted telling him about the conflict. She quickly grabbed his jacket and chased after him.

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Jiang Fan was still holding up his pants with one hand, the zipper barely pulled up, the button undone, standing on a busy street looking utterly ridiculous. Seeing this, even the tear-streaked Wang Wenyu couldn’t help but laugh.

Her laughter calmed Jiang Fan considerably. He came over and asked, “Did that bastard say anything else?”

Afraid he would be too impulsive, Wang Wenyu shook her head. “He only said that one thing, and I fired back at him.”

Xiao Yuxin, seeing Wang Wenyu’s proud expression, tried to lighten the mood with praise: “She was really brave—not only did she stand up to Lu Zai, she called him out for talking crap. Around here, no one else would dare say such things.”

“That bastard—I actually thought he was someone to be reckoned with. Turns out he only bullies women. Where does the bastard live?” Jiang Fan shot another question at Xiao Yuxin as he finished his tirade.

Xiao Yuxin shook her head, glancing at Wang Wenyu, signaling her to calm Jiang Fan down.

Wang Wenyu stepped close to Jiang Fan, helped him fasten his pants and belt, and soothed him: “Don’t be so rash. Watch your injuries. I can handle this.”

“Handle it now? He wants to show off, right? I’ll give him all the attention he wants.”

Jiang Fan wasn’t feeling patient. Not knowing where Lu Zai lived, he decided to start with his businesses.

He went to the fruit shop, grabbed the iron hook used to close the shutter, and strode to the hair salon next door, shouting, “Anyone inside? Come out now! If you get hurt when I break down the door, don’t blame me!”

Like the fruit shop, the salon’s shutter concealed a glass door with a fine mesh curtain.

In this trade, business thrived at night; most of the salon girls hadn’t come to work yet. When Wang Wenyu clashed with Lu Zai earlier, the few diligent girls who had arrived had already gone outside to watch the commotion and hadn’t yet returned.

Jiang Fan called out a couple more times, but no one answered. Ah Xue, standing outside, saw how angry he was and dared not speak.

He raised the iron hook, ready to smash the glass door, but Wang Wenyu hurried over and stopped him. “It’s almost New Year’s—some of those girls are counting on making money now for the holiday. We can’t let a personal grudge affect their income.”

Ah Xue, watching Wang Wenyu, who had just been wronged yet still thought of others, was filled with admiration.

Unwilling to let things go, Jiang Fan asked her, “If I can’t smash the salon, how about the gambling den?”

Knowing he needed an outlet for his anger, Wang Wenyu nodded. “Smash the gambling den. It won’t affect the drifters’ income, and maybe it’ll even save them some money.”

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With Wang Wenyu’s approval, Jiang Fan rushed off toward the gambling den.

Xiao Yuxin had no time to gather the fruit outside her shop, so she asked the neighboring shopkeeper to keep an eye on it and hurried after Jiang Fan with Wang Wenyu.

When Jiang Fan reached the gambling den, he started banging wildly on the closed shutter with the iron hook. Seeing it was tough to make a dent in the aluminum, he switched to kicking it. His bone fracture still hadn’t healed, so he couldn’t use much force, and after a few kicks, the door barely budged.

The dumpling shop, now running 24 hours, had entered its shift rotations. There were no customers inside. Uncle Qiu was napping on a recliner, while Zhang Xiaoye was teaching Zhang Chungeng to write.

Hearing Jiang Fan’s angry shouting and kicking at the door, Zhang Chungeng dashed out of the shop for the first time, ran to Jiang Fan’s side, and grabbed the iron hook from his hand. “Brother, let me. Just tell me what to smash.”

Still weak from his injuries, Jiang Fan could only point at the main door. “Anything inside—if it can be smashed, leave nothing intact.”

With two swift kicks, Zhang Chungeng broke a hole in one of the shutters and slipped inside.

Jiang Fan, Wang Wenyu, Xiao Yuxin, and a crowd of onlookers waited outside, listening to the cacophony of destruction inside.

After three or five minutes, Zhang Chungeng came out and reported, “Brother, everything’s smashed. Do you want to check?”

Jiang Fan shook his head and pointed at the other two shutters. “Smash those as well.”

So that Jiang Fan could see the wreckage for himself, Zhang Chungeng even dismantled the pulleys that supported the shutters.

From outside, everyone could now see the demolished room—broken tables and chairs missing legs and arms, and even the roulette machine was in pieces.

Just two days before, the gambling den had been bustling with customers; now it was a wasteland, desolate and forlorn.