Chapter 500 - 499: Eating at a Street Stall
"Got it, Grandpa."
The girl looked delicate, thin and weak, sweat dripping down unnoticed as she quickly tidied up and jogged back.
In no time, a few stainless steel plates were brought up, with tenderly grilled skewers exuding the aroma of cumin and chili. As soon as the guys saw it, they grabbed a skewer before the plates were even set down and started devouring.
At this moment, Old Zhao also brought two boxes of beer and placed them behind everyone. Tang Bing dragged one box over, skillfully bit off the caps, and handed a bottle to each person, "Come on, guys, let’s down one!"
"Cheers!"
"Cheers!"
The few guys tilted their heads back, gulping down the icy cold beer in a few big swigs.
Just when they were eating and drinking to their hearts’ content, a few small-time thugs swaggered over, whistling as they sat down at a table behind them.
One of them, a little punk with yellow hair, took off his shirt, revealing a tattoo of some kind, put his legs up on the table, took a toothpick and picked his teeth, then shouted at Old Zhao who was busy, "Old man, where’s the protection fee you promised? Last month you said this month, this month you say next month, do you think I’m easy to mess with?"
Old Zhao looked up and, seeing these people, paused what he was doing, discreetly moved a small bag under the table, and covered it with a plate, looking at them with a troubled expression.
The girl beside him hid tightly behind Old Zhao, her scared eyes flashing with a hint of anger.
"Old man, didn’t you hear me talking to you?" The little punk with yellow hair, seeing Old Zhao not responding, slammed the table and grabbed a plastic stool, smashing it with a bang.
Luckily, his aim wasn’t good; although he didn’t hit Old Zhao, he smashed it onto the grill, sending sparks and black smoke flying.
Seeing this, Old Zhao didn’t care if he was hurt or not, hurriedly took down the skewers still grilling, and signaled the girl behind him to leave quickly.
However, the girl remained resolute, biting her lip tightly, clutching his clothes, refusing to leave.
The sight made Tang Bing and the others seethe with rage, discreetly picking up plates and chopsticks from the table, ready to make those punks pay as soon as Chen Tianlong gave the order.
"Hey old man, are you mute? I’m telling you, today this money you’ll give whether you want to or not, otherwise, from now on, you’ll disappear from here!"
"Brothers, let’s smash this place up for me!" Seeing Old Zhao still not coming over, Huang Mao became furious, shouted, stood up, kicked over a table, and yelled loudly.
The thugs accompanying him, seeing the boss speak, all acted cocky, flipping tables, smashing stools, and being incredibly arrogant for a moment.
"He’s just an old man trying to make a living; if you’re eating, then eat properly, if not, then leave quickly. If you break anything, you’ll have to pay for it."
Amid the thugs’ rampage, a calm voice sounded in their ears.
This statement made everyone present look towards the direction of the voice.
With everyone’s attention, Chen Tianlong was unfazed, casually sitting on a stool, holding a skewer in one hand and a beer bottle in the other, enjoying his food and drink.
"Guys, eat more, however much you eat, I’ll pay for it, just eat as much as you want!"
The thugs were instantly dumbfounded; on Shennan Street, no one had ever dared to speak to them like this, while the other customers initially thought of sneaking away to save money amidst the chaos.
At this moment, they were left awkwardly standing in place, unsure whether to leave or stay.
At first, Huang Mao was also taken aback by Chen Tianlong’s calmness, thinking he had encountered some big shot, but when he saw the school uniforms on a few people, he almost laughed.
"A few snot-nosed little students dare to meddle in my affairs?"
Before Huang Mao could speak, a few of his small-time thugs immediately rushed over arrogantly, ready to start a fight. After all, the other party was just a group of students, and thugs aren’t afraid of students; they have no money, no power, they can be bullied as they please.
But just as they reached in front of Chen Tianlong, they suddenly felt something off; the man sitting there was calmly drinking and eating barbecue.
Yet it seemed unusual, a faint sense of pressure arose from within, and they subconsciously stopped in their tracks, not daring to step forward.
However, Huang Mao didn’t realize anything was amiss, grabbed an empty beer bottle from the ground, smashed it on the table with a crisp sound, held the broken half in his hand, swaggered over to Chen Tianlong, and condescendingly shouted, "Kid, do you know who I am? I’m Chicken from Shennan Street, and you dare to meddle in my affairs?"
"Heh," Chen Tianlong chuckled, standing up, now looking down on him, "So, Chicken, right? Old Zhao is just an old man, making a small living here with his granddaughter isn’t easy, and you’re collecting protection fees, I don’t think that’s quite right, is it?"
Although the person in front of him was smiling, Chicken inexplicably felt a chill down his spine, but he couldn’t show weakness in front of his subordinates, so he straightened up.
"Not right?"
Chicken’s eyes widened, waving his hand, he shouted nervously, "It’s not me bullying them, it’s the rule set by Master Long, anyone doing business on Shennan Street has to pay protection fees!"
Master Zhou is the big boss around here, in control of several streets, even many massage parlors, foot spa places, and places selling flesh, are his businesses. Of course, he also gathered a bunch of outcasts and thugs to help maintain order, and Chicken is one of his thug leaders, specifically managing Shennan Street.
"Chicken, don’t think I don’t know, Master Long set the rule at five hundred a month for our street, and you want two thousand." Old Zhao couldn’t hold back anymore and said loudly.
"You old coot, you sick of living? Whatever I say you pay, don’t give me that nonsense! You think you can use Master Long to pressure me? Get lost!"
Being exposed on his manipulation made Chicken furious, waving the half a beer bottle in his hand, he shouted angrily at Old Zhao.
At this point, Chen Tianlong seemed to understand something, with a slight smile, "Chicken, you’re saying Old Zhao has to pay two thousand every month, right?"
"Pay my ass, last time I came, this old coot said he had no money and would make up for it this month. So now, I come today, and he stays silent, thinking I’m getting nothing out of this?"