Chapter 69: Scolding Su Qilan? No Problem Then

Chapter 69: Scolding Su Qilan? No Problem Then

Brother Dragon's territory was in Kowloon, only about four kilometers away from the temple street footbridge if one rode a motorcycle.

Seeing Shen Qing's concern for Zhong Ziguang's safety, Jian Yao reassured her softly before flooring the accelerator. The motorcycle shot forward at a speed Shen Qing had never experienced before, the wind howling wildly against her face.

The city whizzed past like a carousel before her eyes.

It was too fast; the motorcycle was going incredibly fast... Shen Qing clung tightly to Jian Yao's lean and muscular waist, afraid of falling off.

As she leaned her head against his back to shield herself from the gale, she could feel the fiery heat of Jian Yao's muscles through his shirt. The boy she knew had somehow transformed into a dependable man. The wild scent emanating from him filled Shen Qing's nostrils...

Within minutes, the roar of the motorcycle faded as Jian Yao pulled up in front of a teahouse in Kowloon.

"We're here."

Jian Yao's words made Shen Qing lift her head from his back. She glanced at the sign above the teahouse - #Xianzhen Tea House#. In the original plot, this was the tea house that Brother Dragon opened for Chen Xianzhen, who had struggled with him since their days in the orphanage after he became wealthy.

However, Chen Xianzhen felt that she couldn't accept Brother Dragon's money without earning it, so she turned down his kindness and continued working at the nightclub... In truth, the main reason Chen Xianzhen stayed at the nightclub was that the man she liked frequented the place.

As Shen Qing dashed upstairs towards Xianzhen Tea House, the clichéd scenes from movies and TV dramas involuntarily flashed through her mind.

Just as Shen Qing reached the second floor, a man's shrill scream echoed through the air.

In the next moment, a man with an amputated arm was kicked out of the tea house's entrance on the second floor. Jian Yao, noticing the man almost crashing into Shen Qing, swiftly caught hold of her slender waist, pulling her into his arms.

Still trembling from the scare, Shen Qing leaned against Jian Yao, instinctively looking down at the man who had fallen. Seeing that it wasn't Zhong Ziguang, she immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

However, she recognized this man as well. He was the leader of the gangsters who had chased Brother Dragon at the bus station in Temple Street during their previous encounter.

Now, with both his arms severed, he rolled on the ground in agony, his body drenched in blood, creating a horrifying sight of crimson stains.

The scene starkly reminded Shen Qing of a harsh reality: the fights between gangsters were ruthless and heartless. In chaotic Hong Kong, one needed to battle this merciless society to live a peaceful life until old age.

"Don't look," Jian Yao observed the tremors in Shen Qing's pupils, reflecting her lingering fear, and reached out to cover her eyes.

But Shen Qing gently pulled his hand away.

She was no naive child, despite growing up in a tranquil and prosperous society. Having experienced numerous dangers since arriving in Hong Kong, Shen Qing had long realized that it was a world of survival of the fittest.

Her gaze was fixed on the man being dragged away by Brother Dragon's men. Despite her mental preparation, the sight of blood still made her physically ill.

Shen Qing suppressed her nausea and turned to look at Jian Yao.

Meeting Jian Yao's dark, concerned eyes, she pressed her lips together and softly said, "I'm fine."

Seeing her resilient and determined expression, Jian Yao couldn't resist ruffling her hair.

As they walked into the teahouse, a young woman in a server's uniform carried a bucket of water and a mop to clean the bloodstains from the staircase. The water dispersed the lingering scent of blood, and Shen Qing clenched her fists, dispelling her fear. With a resolute gaze, she stepped firmly into the teahouse.

"Brother Dragon, Zhong Ziguang fainted from fright. What should we do with him?" one of the gangsters asked as Brother Dragon sat at the center of the teahouse, surrounded by his cronies.

It was the familiar face with gold-rimmed glasses and a sharp jawline; Brother Dragon wore a loose black suit and white shirt, leaning lazily against the chair back with a cigar in hand.

The smoke surrounding him made his face seem surreal, but his voice was ominously gloomy, "He likes to talk, doesn't he? Well, let's just remove his tongue."

"Wait…" Upon hearing Brother Dragon's plan to cut out Zhong Ziguang's tongue, Shen Qing quickly interjected, "Brother Dragon, wait."

Hearing Shen Qing's voice, Brother Dragon instinctively extinguished his cigar.

At this moment, Shen Qing had already arrived before Brother Dragon under Jian Yao's accompaniment. Brother Dragon lifted his head from among his minions, immediately noticing Shen Qing's slightly ashen face.

He raised an eyebrow. "What's the matter?" As he spoke, he glanced at Jian Yao beside Shen Qing, their eyes meeting briefly before they quickly looked away.

With concern for his disciple Zhong Ziguang, Shen Qing stepped forward and asked Brother Dragon, "Brother Dragon, you mentioned cutting out Zhong Ziguang's tongue earlier. I wonder what he said to provoke you?"

"One of these bastards doesn't know when to quit. He dared to say that our Brother Dragon is an illegitimate child," a subordinate by Brother Dragon's side interjected. Brother Dragon slapped him in response. "Get lost."

The assaulted gangster didn't dare to retaliate, covering his swollen cheek as he lowered his head and followed the other minions out of the tea house.

Once the crowd dispersed, Shen Qing finally saw his unconscious disciple, Zhong Ziguang, sprawled on the ground. Bound tightly, blood stains were splattered across his face.

Presumably, when Brother Dragon ordered the execution of the arms of the assassin who had pursued Zhong Ziguang, the blood had splashed onto Zhong Ziguang's face, causing him to faint.

Shen Qing sighed inwardly. Zhong Ziguang had actually calculated that Brother Dragon was an illegitimate child and dared to announce it in front of Brother Dragon and his subordinates?

Given Brother Dragon's manic, megalomaniacal nature, he would undoubtedly punish him by severing his tongue.

Why couldn't Zhong Ziguang have been more cautious?

However, Shen Qing was also intrigued by Brother Dragon's illegitimate son's identity. But she couldn't show it in front of him, so she smiled and said, "Brother Dragon, this is his mistake."

Brother Dragon's brows lifted again. "Oh? You know him?"

"I do know him, but we're not really close," Shen Qing explained, worried that Brother Dragon might hold her accountable for Zhong Ziguang's actions. Yet, she couldn't ignore someone in need.

Under Brother Dragon's curious and speculative gaze, Shen Qing pondered for a moment before saying, "We both operate fortune-telling stalls in Temple Street, though in different territories. All feng shui practitioners pay respect to the same ancestor, Guo Pu. In that sense, he and I are from the same school..."

"You want to save him!" Brother Dragon interrupted her directly, his eyes behind the gold-rimmed glasses fixed intently on Shen Qing, his expression dark.

"I do have that intention," Shen Qing nodded honestly, then added, "But I came to see Brother Dragon for another matter."

While Shen Qing spoke with Brother Dragon, Jian Yao quietly pulled out a chair, gently pressing on Shen Qing's shoulder as he sat down opposite Brother Dragon. He then casually dragged another chair and sat beside Shen Qing.

Perhaps it was due to Jian Yao's strong and composed presence; with him by her side, Shen Qing felt less intimidated by Brother Dragon.

Observing the young duo's actions, Brother Dragon maintained his expression, continuing to fix his gaze on Shen Qing.

In response to Brother Dragon's scrutinizing look, Shen Qing unzipped her backpack, withdrew a stack of Hong Kong dollars, and placed them in front of him with a smile. "I'm here to pay the protection fee."

Brother Dragon raised an eyebrow.

"Last time when the snack shop opened, Brother Dragon sent a congratulatory flower basket. And when Yu Dawei caused trouble for the shop, you had your men help resolve the issue. I'm truly grateful to Brother Dragon…" Shen Qing began by appealing to Brother Dragon's emotions, a crucial step when seeking help or mercy.

Shen Qing felt no shame; a wise person adapts to circumstances, and pride is nothing compared to her disciple's life.

"I should also be grateful to Brother Dragon for looking out for me," she said with a bright smile. "This is my token of appreciation for treating you to breakfast."

Though she didn't mention protection fees explicitly, her words hinted at it.

Jian Yao sat silently beside her. As they were visiting Brother Dragon's territory for business, he knew his role as a bodyguard and respected the rules, not provoking anyone on their turf.

Seeing that Brother Dragon was being relatively polite to Shen Qing, Jian Yao remained quietly in the background.

Brother Dragon reached for the money Shen Qing had placed on the table. With his long thumb, he casually rubbed the bills, feeling their weight – they were substantial, definitely over ten thousand Hong Kong dollars.

Looking at Shen Qing's smiling face, Brother Dragon suddenly scoffed coldly. "Isn't this the time to distance yourself from me?"

Damn, he still held a grudge. That sharp-faced girl had a narrow mind.

Shen Qing cursed inwardly, but her smile remained unchanged as she said, "I'm not trying to distance myself from Brother Dragon; it's just that both of us have had our fair share of being hunted down. I'm merely worried that I might bring trouble upon you."

Jian Yao turned to look at Shen Qing, seemingly unaware of the incident involving Shen Qing's pursuit. After all, Shen Qing had kept it a secret, known only to her, Brother Biao, and a few bodyguards.

Under Jian Yao's dark, sharp gaze, Shen Qing felt even more guilt-ridden than when facing Brother Dragon's ominous stare.

She turned to offer Jian Yao an assuring smile, though her words were directed at Brother Dragon, "The people after Brother Dragon have been dealt with, but those after me are still out there. I'm just afraid of implicating you."

Brother Dragon sneered, "Words sound nice, don't they?"

"I've acted accordingly too," Shen Qing replied. "Tell me, haven't I caused you any trouble? I didn't even disclose a single detail about your shooting incident to the police."

At this thought, Brother Dragon's expression instantly turned disdainful.

Of course, his disdain wasn't aimed at Shen Qing, but rather, it was a memory of Su Qilan when he woke up from his coma in the hospital. Despite having no connection with him, Su Qilan constantly called the police for statements while she was hospitalized. She even brought Chen Xianzhen along as a friend. The entire Hong Kong knew that Brother Dragon almost lost his life due to Su Qilan.

This led to other street gang members eyeing Brother Dragon's territory during his hospitalization, launching attacks against him.

Brother Dragon was ruthless and decisive, dealing with the attacks from other gangsters swiftly and precisely; otherwise, it was uncertain if he would still be a prominent figure in Hong Kong now.

What Shen Qing stumbled upon today was one of the consequences of Brother Dragon's retaliation!

"Damn bitch!" Brother Dragon slammed the table in anger.

Shen Qing was slightly irritated too. "Why did you curse out of the blue?"

"Sorry, I wasn't cursing at you," Brother Dragon unexpectedly apologized. "I was referring to that damned slut, Su Qilan."

Oh, he was cursing at Su Qilan? Then it was fine.

Shen Qing instantly regained her composure, but seeing that Brother Dragon seemed somewhat agitated, she decided to needle him again. "Brother Dragon, do you remember what I said about your bad love life?"

He sure did. How could Brother Dragon forget?

Every time this topic came up, Shen Qing would earnestly advise him to stay away from women. "Seal your heart, renounce love, and devote yourself to Buddhism, right?"

"Brother Dragon's memory is impressive," Shen Qing praised with a thumbs-up.

"Stop with the insinuations," Brother Dragon grunted coldly. He had never met such a beautiful and cunning young lady.

Still, Shen Qing had indeed come to his aid that fateful night, not like Su Qilan who had called the police on him.

She even stanched his bleeding and waited for the ambulance before leaving.

Remembering this, Brother Dragon's temper mellowed significantly. "Want to save Zhong Ziguang? Alright, I'll give you that favor."

"Thank you, Brother Dragon," Shen Qing promptly expressed her gratitude.

"But you need to clarify your relationship with this kid," Brother Dragon glanced at the still-unconscious Zhong Ziguang. Ever since Shen Qing arrived, his attention had been on the boy.

To have become the boss of a gang and conquered so much territory, Brother Dragon couldn't possibly be foolish.

Having interacted with Brother Dragon several times, Shen Qing knew that his anger had subsided entirely.

Seeing that he was willing to let Zhong Ziguang off, she no longer feared that he would backtrack on his word. She told him the truth. "To be honest, this boy is my disciple from my trip to Thailand."

Brother Dragon looked at Shen Qing in surprise, while Jian Yao remained calm as if he already knew about Shen Qing's claim.

"Thanks to Brother Dragon for that," Shen Qing recounted the entire story of how she met Zhong Ziguang, not omitting a single detail, and then sighed. "If not for Brother Dragon issuing a bounty on him, I wouldn't have known him. You could say you're a witness to our master-disciple relationship."

Brother Dragon snorted coldly. "Your disciple only knows how to spout nonsense. He'll drag you down sooner or later. Why don't I just cut out his tongue now and turn him into a mute?"

"No, please don't," Shen Qing hurriedly said. "Disabled people have a hard time finding a spouse."

Brother Dragon: "............"

"But you do have a point," Shen Qing nodded. "He really does speak without a filter, and that's not a good thing. How about this..."

An idea popped into Shen Qing's mind. "Brother Dragon, could you scare him a little? Just so he understands the severe consequences of speaking out of turn? That way, even if he predicts something accurately in the future, he won't dare to speak nonsense anymore."

Brother Dragon: ????

"What are you talking about? You want me to train your disciple?" Brother Dragon pointed at himself. "Do I look like I have nothing better to do?"

"You're not idle; you're destined to be a business tycoon. Why would you be idle?" Shen Qing continued. "But my disciple is genuinely skilled at divination. If you ever need a reading and I'm not in Hong Kong, you can always consult my disciple..."

Shen Qing tempted Brother Dragon. "Don't you think so? Having someone by your side who's skilled in divination, able to avert harm and bring benefits, ensures you'll live to be ninety-nine in peace."

Since there was no way to avoid dealing with Brother Dragon, Shen Qing decided to try and bring him over to her side.

After all, he was a formidable antagonist that even Su Qilan and Gu Shaoqian feared and had suffered at his hands. It would be better for her to win him over than to let Su Qilan do it.

Shen Qing's thoughts shifted quickly, and she felt no guilt about it. Brother Dragon realized that she had hit the nail on the head.

Zong Ziguang's fortunetelling abilities were indeed accurate.

Seeing Brother Dragon nod, she continued, "You can intimidate him, but don't drive him mad. Just use a bit of subtle manipulation, okay?"

"I don't need your advice. I know what I'm doing," Brother Dragon waved his hand. "Hurry up and leave once the matter is settled."

He had other business to attend to at this venue and didn't want Shen Qing involved.

Shen Qing gave Brother Dragon an 'OK' sign before swiftly leaving with Jian Yao.

As for Zong Ziguang, who was tied up and unconscious on the ground, Shen Qing didn't even spare him a glance this time.

Brother Dragon stared at the stack of Hong Kong dollars Shen Qing had left on the table, aware that despite her kind words, she was still trying to distance herself from him. At the very least, Shen Qing didn't want to owe him any favors...

"From now on, Uncle Chen's wonton stall should collect protection fees without a single cent short," Brother Dragon said, casually passing the stack of cash Shen Qing had given him to a henchman behind him. "Divvy it up."

This henchman was the one who had helped drive Yu Dawei away from the snack shop back then. The other assistant, as per Brother Dragon's instruction, had escorted Shen Qing downstairs.

Shen Qing didn't forget to show her gratitude. "Thank you for helping me. This is a token of appreciation. Take it back and share it with your comrades."

Brother Dragon didn't like owing favors; he believed in repaying those who had lent a hand.

"No need to be so formal," the henchman accepted Shen Qing's money with a smile, feeling that there couldn't be a more pleasant lady to deal with than her.

Observing her composed and decisive manner, it was no wonder that Brother Dragon had developed a newfound respect for her.

"Brother Dragon, the Buddhist beads have been retrieved," a subordinate approached respectfully with a sandalwood box in hand, immediately after Shen Qing left. "They've been blessed by a master."

Perhaps influenced by Shen Qing's accurate fortune-telling, when Brother Dragon opened the box and took out the blessed beads, the ferocity on his face surprisingly vanished.

Holding the beads in his palm, a soothing sandalwood aroma penetrated his nostrils, as if genuinely purifying negative energy and calming the mind for protection.

With his eyes lowered, Brother Dragon rubbed the beads thoughtfully. His gaze was dark, lost in contemplation about something unknown.

"Hey, you've taken up Buddhism?" A teasing voice entered the teahouse as Brother Dragon slipped his Buddhist beads onto his wrist. The group of over thirty men that he led swarmed in, occupying every available spot in the establishment.

"Ah Long, I heard you registered an architectural firm. Planning to delve into real estate?" The leader was a fifty-something-year-old man with a floral shirt and a large gold chain. His gaunt face exuded a menacing aura. "You're Buddhist and a businessman—trying to go legit? But after snatching so much territory from me, you want to quit just like that?"

Slapping the table, the old man declared, "If you're quitting, hand over the territories."

Brother Dragon, who had just donned the beads, didn't seem merciful. He simply said one word, "Fight!"

Following his command, over a hundred men rushed out from various corners of the teahouse. Realizing the situation was dire, the old man attempted to flee but was quickly surrounded, leaving no escape.

Brother Dragon approached the old man, his shadowy gaze piercing through the lenses of his gold-rimmed glasses as he stared coldly at him. "Did the Gu family's women hire you to chase me down?"

Zhong Ziguang, pitifully, had just regained consciousness only to witness Brother Dragon pointing a gun... which promptly sent him back into unconsciousness. He didn't even have a chance to cry out for his mother.

...

After Shen Qing and Jian Yao left Xianzhen Teahouse, they headed to a nearby bank to exchange their prize money from the mathematics competition.

The HKD equivalent of the five thousand yuan reward was a substantial amount that weighed heavily in the bag. Unfortunately, half of it had to be given to Gu Shaoqian.

Since they were partners in the competition, Shen Qing knew that Gu Shaoqian was not short of money and might not even value the twenty-five thousand. However, she wouldn't keep all the prize money for herself either; she intended to return it along with the necklace Gu Shaoqian had given her previously.

Jian Yao lowered his head, gazing at Shen Qing's backpack. Suddenly, he said, "Did you check your backpack?"

"What do you mean?" Shen Qing was puzzled.

Fixing her with a serious gaze, Jian Yao asked, "You didn't check your backpack?"

Confused, Shen Qing replied, "Why would I check my own backpack? Could someone have put something in there without my knowledge?"

"Take a look," Jian Yao instructed, succinctly.

Shen Qing was already rummaging through her bag. Apart from the test papers Wang Zhenzhen had given her and those Jian Yao had done recently, there was nothing else.

Oh, wait—there seemed to be something.

From the very bottom of her backpack, Shen Qing pulled out an old book that looked like an antique – the "Green Satchel Classic."

"Did you put this in my backpack?" Shen Qing flipped through the book as she asked Jian Yao.

The book was written in regular script, and it appeared rather aged, bearing the scent of dust and mildew. Due to being tucked at the bottom of her backpack, hidden beneath a stack of papers, its pages had curled slightly.

Fortunately, it was still intact. Shen Qing tenderly caressed the book. If she had known there was an ancient text in her bag, she would never have treated it so roughly.

Seeing her affection for it, Jian Yao lifted the corners of his lips. "You're interested in feng shui and divination. I procured this at a high price from a friend. It discusses the five elements, astronomy, and the art of divination..."

Pausing for a moment, he added, "...as your birthday gift."

Jian Yao's present struck a chord with Shen Qing. "Thank you, Brother Yao. I really like it."

With great care, Shen Qing smoothed the curled pages of the book, holding it dearly to her chest with a delighted smile. "I'll take it home and study it carefully."

She had recently developed a keen interest in esoterica. These ancient texts were national treasures that money couldn't buy; she had to cherish them properly.

Jian Yao's eyebrows and the corners of his eyes betrayed his satisfaction, but when Shen Qing cast him a smiling glance, he pretended to compose himself, putting on a serious face as he declared, "It's not some precious treasure."

"Of course, it's a precious gift," Shen Qing said with a smile.

Almost unable to contain it, a smile threatened to break across Jian Yao's face.

"Brother Yao?"

A surprised voice echoed from the sidewalk. Shen Qing and Jian Yao turned around simultaneously to see a well-dressed, coffee-cup-holding elite male sitting in his car, staring at Jian Yao with disbelief.

"Brother Yao, it's really you?" The man opened the car door and stepped out. The Mercedes-Benz emblem stood out prominently on Hong Kong Street.

"Why didn't you tell me you were coming to Kowloon? I could have picked you up," said the man, who appeared to be in his late twenties with an attractive appearance.

Despite being nearly ten years older than Jian Yao, he respectfully called him 'Brother' and 'You'—this piqued Shen Qing's curiosity about Jian Yao.

"I'm here shopping with a friend," Jian Yao replied casually.

The elite man's gaze finally fell upon Shen Qing. Earlier, Jian Yao's figure had obstructed her, so he hadn't seen her clearly. Now, his eyes widened in admiration—she was a stunning beauty.

But he didn't dare to stare for too long. Instead, he took out a business card from his suit pocket and presented it to Shen Qing with both hands. "Hello, my name is You Zuyin, a friend of Brother Yao."

"Nice to meet you, Shen Qing," Shen Qing replied, taking the card and examining it. She noticed that You Zuyin was the general manager of an auction house, which made her even more curious as to how he knew Brother Yao.

"When I was down and out on the streets, barely escaping being killed, it was Brother Yao and Uncle Wanquan who saved me," Yu Zuyin explained, noticing Shen Qing's curiosity. He then asked with a smile, "How are Brother Yao and Uncle Wanquan doing lately? I heard that after leaving the Flying Tigers, he went missing. I've had people looking for him, but to no avail. Do you have any news about him?"

"He's abroad," Jian Yao replied casually.

Uncle Wanquan was Jian Yao's older brother, Jian Wanquan, a name Shen Qing had heard before but never met in person.

However, for some reason, when Jian Yao and Yu Zuyin mentioned Jian Wanquan, Shen Qing couldn't help but think of Ah Ken, whom she had encountered in Thailand. Apart from their faces, Ah Ken resembled Jian Yao in every other aspect. But if Ah Ken was indeed Jian Wanquan, Jian Yao should have recognized him.

Back then at the Hong Kong harbor, Jian Yao had shown no emotion when he saw Jian Wanquan...