Good guy... Fu Yunge didn't know what to say in his heart, he could only sigh. Originally, I thought that what I saw and heard in Liripu was novel, but I didn't expect that it would be even worse elsewhere.
After searching for a long time, he reluctantly had a bowl of wontons at a small wonton shop to rest his stomach. The owner of this shop is a local, but business is not doing well, and you can hear his sighs across the stall.
Fu Yunge felt a little depressed after eating this meal. Looking at the porters coming and going outside the door, carrying various New Year's goods in their baskets, he didn't know why, but he felt desolate in his heart.
Counting it all together, it seems that tomorrow will be the New Year.
Glancing at the cakes in the package, he felt even more homesick. It’s been several months since I’ve seen you back. My parents and little sister must have missed me, right?
When I feel homesick, I always want to leave quickly.
As soon as Fu Yunge stood up, a man with a hurried expression walked towards him. Bypassing him and going straight to the little owner of the wonton shop, the two of them were chatting earnestly, as if they were communicating about something urgent.
This originally had nothing to do with Fu Yunge. But just as he was about to leave the store, his ears suddenly caught a familiar name.
"But... how can he compare to the then boss Du He..."
"Du He?" Fu Yunge immediately frowned and turned to look at the two people talking.
The two of them remained unaware and were still discussing their matters. Fu Yunge walked back step by step, approached them, and then sat down on the seat closest to them.
The two of them seemed to completely ignore Fu Yunge's existence, chattering enthusiastically. Fu Yunge listened to every word, and his expression became more and more strange and heavy.
"Brothers haven't had a meal today, but they have already been kicked out twice," the man said.
The boss said: "There is really no other way, let them come to my place to eat."
"Boss Liu, your store can't survive now. We can't cause you any trouble. We've been borrowing money from outside for the past two days. The hard days will eventually pass," the man said.
"...Don't the hard days just begin now?" The boss was silent for a moment, and finally let out a sigh of relief.
The man had nothing to say. The two were silent for a moment facing each other, and then the man raised his head again.
"I think Xingzai is unreliable. The leader must be changed."
"But who else could it be? You? Me? The brothers chose Xingzai together at that time, and the result is obvious to all. We are all a bunch of black-bone chickens. Without Boss Du He, we will always be driven away by that group of people."
The man didn't agree with what Boss Liu said: "What are you talking about? And none of us can find Boss Du He now, so it's useless to say all this. If we want to fight with them, we still have to rely on ourselves."
But unfortunately, before the man could finish speaking, his stomach started growling.
Boss Liu sighed, turned around and went to the hot pot behind him, scooped out a bowl of steaming wontons, and pushed it in front of him: "Eat quickly. You have been running around all day, so you must have a full stomach."
The man didn't refuse, he took the bowl without even using a spoon, blew a few mouthfuls of cool air, raised his head and swallowed the soup and wontons together. Fu Yunge was a little surprised when he saw it, but Boss Liu didn't seem surprised. He just held his chin in one hand, looked ahead with empty eyes and sighed.
Fu Yunge couldn't help but stand up.
However, before he could speak, another hasty voice came from outside the door:
"Ah, I finally found you. Brother Wang, Boss Liu, go and have a look. The brothers in Xichengkou are at a disadvantage again."
Suddenly, the expressions of the two people in front of the counter changed at the same time. Fu Yunge turned his head and saw a short man holding the door frame panting and talking to the two of them, his face still covered with sweat even in the cold weather.
He saw Fu Yunge. After being stunned for a moment, he asked Boss Liu: "Is this the brother you just found?"
Boss Liu shook his head: "...No. This is just a guest."
…………
After a while, Brother Wang and Boss Liu arrived at Xichengkou. Fu Yunge was followed behind, and he came with him.
"Little brother, you'd better go back." Brother Wang persuaded along the way, "You don't need to take care of this kind of thing. You will definitely be stained with mud when you wade in muddy water."
Fu Yunge chuckled and was noncommittal.
The so-called Xichengkou, as the name suggests, is a corner under the west wall of Jiangliang City. Since the walls of Jiangliang City are pocket-shaped and open on one side, the west city entrance is right on the edge, which is the boundary with the outside of Jiangliang City.
Fu Yunge had never noticed this place before, but what he saw today shocked him greatly.
Here is a simple tent made of rags. Under the howling north wind, the tarp flew in the air. There were sounds of babies crying inside, and standing outside were about twenty men with hesitant expressions.
Dead leaves and slush-turned dust swirled around, blowing against this desolate place. Fu Yunge was almost blinded by Huang Chen. He rubbed his eyes, but his nose felt a little sore.
This is……
Brother Wang and Boss Liu have already stepped forward and asked about everyone's situation.
Looking at the situation on the ground, the dispute was over. But judging from everyone's appearance, it doesn't seem optimistic.
"Brother Wang... you came back late, they just left."
"They told us to move from here tomorrow unless we are willing to work as porters for them."
Even if Fu Yunge didn't listen deliberately, the chatter of everyone would penetrate his ears from time to time. Moreover, it is extremely harsh.
"Nonsense!" Brother Wang waved his fist, "Those bunch of birds have a beautiful idea. Where is Xingzai? Let's grab him and go to those gang of birds to ask for an explanation!"
A condescending voice next to him said: "Xingzai...well, he left just now. I don't know what he wanted to do."
Brother Wang didn't seem surprised. He let out a "poof" and turned to Boss Liu and said, "I knew this little bear was really bad. Look, we have to call the brothers and choose a new leader."
Boss Liu smiled bitterly: "How about you do it?"
Someone around immediately echoed: "Yes, yes. Brother Wang, we think you are suitable to be the leader..."
Fu Yunge was still watching and said nothing.
Brother Wang didn't seem to expect that they would elect him, and he was a little at a loss. After hesitating for a moment, he seemed to have plucked up the courage and nodded heavily: "...What's the big deal! I'll take care of it! From today on, I, Wang Dali, will take you on behalf of that brat Xingzai. Fight away those high-nosed monkeys!"
The surrounding area immediately became filled with shouts. Fu Yunge felt more noisy, not because his ears were noisy, but because his heart was more noisy.
The high-nosed monkey... was exactly what he had guessed, but it still left him a little confused until now.
Ever since then, he hasn't understood enough. What is the relationship between Du He and them, and why do the foreigners they call "high-nosed monkeys" have enmity with them?
