“What do you mean there’s a fly in this wonton? How can you expect anyone to eat like this…?”
A few men sitting behind Xiao Yufan were clearly troublemakers, loudly banging their bowls and shouting, seemingly eager to announce their identities as local hooligans.
“That’s impossible! Our place has always been clean. There can’t be any flies!” The woman rushed out anxiously. Her expression changed slightly when she saw the troublemakers.
“So you’re saying we’re lying with our eyes wide open? Do you think you can handle the consequences if we get sick from eating here?”
“I’ll go get you a new bowl right away. I promise this won’t happen again!” The woman wanted to avoid trouble. Making a living was hard enough these days, and she certainly couldn’t afford to provoke these local thugs.
“Mom, why should we change the bowl? How could there possibly be a fly in our wonton?”
“Madam, how come there’s a fly in this wonton? How are we supposed to eat this…”
The group sitting behind Xiao Yufan and his companion didn’t look like decent folks. They banged their bowls and shouted loudly, clearly trying to make sure everyone saw them as troublemakers.
“How could that be? Our place has always been clean. There’s no way there could be a fly!” The woman hurried out, flustered, and her expression changed slightly when she saw the troublemakers.
“So you’re saying we’re lying? If we get sick from this, can you afford to compensate us?”
“I’ll get you a new bowl right away. I promise this won’t happen again!” The woman didn’t want to stir up trouble. Making money was hard enough, and provoking these thugs would only bring more trouble.
“Mom, why should we replace it? There’s no way there’s a fly in our wontons!” Jiang Rou felt a pang of heartache for her mother. If it weren’t for her education, her mother wouldn’t have to endure such humiliation.
“Well, well, this little girl is quite the looker. We’ve been around this area for a while, but we’ve never seen someone so pretty…”
One of the thugs, with dyed blue hair, shamelessly eyed Jiang Rou, his gaze lingering on her budding figure. He swallowed hard, clearly impressed. By their standards, Jiang Rou was already a beauty.
“Rou’er, don’t speak out of turn. It might have been my oversight. We’ll just replace the bowl. Go back to the room and take care of your father…”
The woman’s face was pale. She knew these thugs all too well—they were nothing but beasts. Not only did they extort protection money, but they had also ruined many women. She could tell they were interested in Jiang Rou, and her heart sank.
“No need to replace it. Just let this little girl have a drink with us. If she serves us well, we might even stop collecting protection money and give you some special treatment!”
The blue-haired thug’s eyes gleamed with lust, and the others chimed in. No one dared to intervene. After all, no one wanted to get involved with these thugs, who had some shady connections.
“This is my daughter. She’s still young and doesn’t know any better. She’s still in school…”
“A schoolgirl? Even better! She probably hasn’t been touched yet. We’re in for a treat, boys! Hahaha!”
Before the woman could finish, the blue-haired thug cut her off. Though she hated them to the core, she didn’t dare show it. Hearing such vulgar words, her body trembled.
“Disgusting…” Jiang Rou couldn’t hold back anymore. She rarely cursed, but these people were worse than scum in her eyes.
“How do you know I’m disgusting? Have you tasted me? Look, I’ve got a full set of teeth. How can you say I’m toothless?”
The blue-haired thug bared his yellowed teeth, grinning at another thug. His expression was as repulsive as it could get. Fortunately, Xiao Yufan had his back to him, or he might have vomited what he just ate.
“She’s right. You’re about to be completely ‘toothless’!” Xiao Yufan couldn’t stand by any longer. Even if he didn’t have any feelings for Jiang Rou, he couldn’t let these bullies act so arrogantly.
“Who the hell are you? Trying to play the hero? Don’t act like some savior. Just mind your own business, or we’ll beat you so badly even your mom won’t recognize you!”
“I hate being threatened, so you’re going to pay a heavy price!” No one saw how Xiao Yufan moved, but in the next moment, he was in front of the blue-haired thug, leaving five bright red handprints on his face.
“Damn…” The blue-haired thug glared at Xiao Yufan with murderous intent, but before he could finish, a series of slaps left him dazed.
His face swelled up, and blood trickled from the corner of his mouth. Xiao Yufan controlled his strength perfectly—only the thug’s teeth were knocked out, nothing more serious.
As he opened his mouth, blood and teeth spilled out. The diners gagged, but no one left, clearly eager to see how this would play out.
“This guy hit someone! Let’s get him!” The thugs were momentarily stunned. They were used to being the ones doing the beating, but today their leader had been struck. It was a humiliation they couldn’t bear.
However, the one who shouted didn’t make a move. Xiao Yufan’s earlier display had shaken him. Going up against him would likely end the same way.
“You… wait here. If you leave, you’re a coward…”
Stammering, the blue-haired thug spat out a few words before being helped out of the restaurant by another thug, presumably to call for reinforcements.
“All they know is calling for backup. Can’t they come up with something more creative? Even as thugs, they’re clueless. Poor kids!”
Xiao Yufan sat back down, shrugging at Lin Jiayao. Seeing these thugs reminded him of the Dark Gate. What he wanted wasn’t a gang of petty thugs, but a force that could crush everything in its path.
“Young man, you should leave quickly. Those thugs are definitely calling for backup. People around here have some underworld connections. If they bring more people, you won’t be able to escape!”
The woman approached, her face filled with gratitude. While everyone else had stayed silent, Xiao Yufan had stepped forward, easing her heart. She didn’t want to see her daughter fall victim to these beasts.
“Underworld connections?” Xiao Yufan hesitated, then frowned. This area was supposed to be under the control of the Fierce Tiger Gang. Were these thugs part of that group? If so, the Dark Gate was truly disappointing.
“Please, leave. These people are dangerous. We can’t let you get involved!” The woman thought Xiao Yufan was scared and urged him again, not wanting to see him get into trouble.
“Don’t worry, Auntie. If I dared to hit them, I’ve already considered the consequences. As long as I’m here, they won’t dare do anything. Just go about your business.”
Xiao Yufan smiled and shook his head. These thugs were nothing to him—mere dogs not worth his attention. As Jiang Rou watched his back, her heart stirred inexplicably…
“Hey, look at this cute little lady! We’ve been hanging around this area for so long, but we’ve never seen such a beauty…”
One of the thugs with blue-dyed hair shamelessly eyed Jiang Rou, his gaze lingering on her budding curves. He swallowed hard, already classifying her as an exceptional beauty by his standards.
“Sweetheart, don’t say anything rash. Maybe it was my mistake. We’ll just change the bowl. Why don’t you go upstairs and take care of your dad?”
The woman’s face turned grim. She knew these hooligans all too well – they were nothing but beasts. Not only did they collect protection money, but many women had suffered at their hands. Seeing their interest in Jiang Rou, her heart sank.
“There’s no need to change the bowl. Let the little lady here keep us company for some drinks instead. If she treats us well, we might even waive your protection fees and give you special treatment!”
The blue-haired thug’s eyes gleamed with lust, and his companions eagerly agreed. No one else dared to intervene – after all, no one wanted unnecessary trouble. These thugs had connections.
“This is my daughter. She doesn’t know any better, please don’t take offense. She’s still in school…”
“A student, even better! Judging by her looks, she might still be a virgin. Brothers, looks like we’re in for a treat, hahaha!”
Before the woman could finish speaking, the blue-haired thug had already interrupted. Though she hated them with a passion, she dared not show it. Hearing their vulgar words, her body trembled violently.
“Shameless!” Jiang Rou could no longer contain herself. She had never cursed before, but these people were worse than scum in her eyes.
“How do you know I’m shameless? Have you tasted me before? Look, I’ve got a full set of teeth. How can you call me shameless?”
The blue-haired thug grinned, revealing his yellowed teeth, and chuckled at another thug. His expression was disgustingly lewd. Fortunately, Xiao Yufan had his back to him, or he might have vomited up what he had just eaten.
“You’re absolutely right. And very soon, you’ll be completely ‘toothless’!” Xiao Yufan naturally couldn’t stand by idly. Even if he didn’t have any particular fondness for Jiang Rou, he certainly wouldn’t allow these people to act so arrogantly.
“Who the hell do you think you are? Trying to play the hero here? Don’t think you’re some savior. Just eat your meal quietly and mind your own business. Otherwise, we’ll beat you so badly your mother won’t recognize you!”
“I hate it most when people threaten me. So, you should expect to pay a heavy price!” No one saw how Xiao Yufan moved, but in the next moment, he was already standing in front of the blue-haired thug, with five bright red handprints clearly visible on the man’s face.
“Crap…” The thug, regaining his senses, glared at Xiao Yufan with murder in his eyes. But before he could finish speaking, a series of rapid slaps left him dazed and confused.
His face immediately swelled up, blood flowing from the corner of his mouth. Xiao Yufan’s control of force was precise – besides knocking out some of the thug’s teeth, he caused no other injuries.
Spitting out a mouthful of blood mixed with teeth, the diner’s patrons all gagged slightly, but no one left, obviously eager to see what would happen next.
“This guy hit me! Let’s all get him and finish him off!” The thugs were momentarily stunned. They were always the ones doing the beating, so having their leader attacked was an unprecedented humiliation.
However, the one who shouted the loudest didn’t actually move forward. Xiao Yufan’s display had already shaken him, and even if they did attack, they probably wouldn’t fare any better.
“You… Wait right there, you bastard… If you leave, you’re a grandson of a turtle…”
The blue-haired thug spat out a few broken words, his speech slurred. With support from another thug, he directly left the restaurant, obviously going to get reinforcements.
“Other than running to get help, can’t you think of anything more creative? Even being a thug, you don’t know how to do it properly. What a pitiful kid!”
Xiao Yufan sat back down, helplessly shrugging his shoulders at Lin Jiayao. Seeing these people reminded him of the Dark Gate. He certainly didn’t want a gang like these petty thugs – he needed an elite force capable of overwhelming any opposition.
“Young man, you two should leave quickly. Those hooligans are definitely going to get help. Everyone around here has some connection to the underworld. If they bring people back, you won’t be able to leave!”
The woman approached, her face showing gratitude. When no one else had dared to act, Xiao Yufan had stepped forward, easing her anxiety. She certainly didn’t want to see her daughter ruined by these beasts.
“The underworld?” Xiao Yufan hesitated for a moment, frowning. Wasn’t this territory supposed to belong to the Tiger Gang? Could these people be remnants of the Tiger Gang that had disgraced the organization? If so, the Dark Gate had truly disappointed him.
“Please leave quickly. These people are not easy to deal with. We can’t let you two get dragged into this!” The woman thought Xiao Yufan was afraid, so she continued urging them to leave, clearly unwilling to see the two young people get involved in trouble.
“Don’t worry, Auntie. Since I dared to hit them, I’ve already considered the consequences. I’m here, and they won’t dare do anything serious. You can go back to your work!”
Smiling and shaking his head, Xiao Yufan truly didn’t take these people seriously. Scum like them weren’t even worth his attention. Seeing Xiao Yufan’s back, Jiang Rou felt an inexplicable stirring in her heart…
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