In American movies, truck drivers were always robust (because they may also have to unload cargo in addition to driving). Zeng Lao Da might be Chinese, but he wasn’t much different than his American counterparts. He was muscular and strong, but still threatening despite being half-drunk.
I’m confident that I can beat him when I hit 18 years old, as long as I exercise and practice martial arts. But I was only 14 years old, plus I also have a heart condition, so I didn’t want to start a head-on conflict with him.
He thought I was provoking him by imitating him and picking my teeth, so he glared at me. There was nothing in my teeth, so it was quite dumb to show off my knife by picking my teeth. I put away the toothpick, then selected the nail file from the Swiss Army knife and started filing my nails which made an annoying noise.
I couldn’t just put my Swiss Army knife away! I was still waiting for someone to ask about it to show it off! I probably feel just as lonely as a girl who wears new clothes, but her friends don’t even ask where she bought it.
“Ye Lin, do you have ADHD?” Officer Ma couldn’t hold it in anymore and asked, “Also, why do you carry a knife around with you? It’s so you could be prepared to stab someone at anytime, right?”
A good question, you finally mentioned the knife. Even if you’re still biased against me, I can still use it to show off my Swiss Army knife.
“Hmph, Officer Ma, when did you see me stab someone? Besides, this isn’t an ordinary knife…”
“Anyway, I won’t spent ¥80,000 to buy those dogs. If I do, then all dog dealers will demand outrageous prices.”
“By the way, my knife…”
“We won’t tell anyone as long as you give us ¥80,000. We’ll only say we sold it for ¥40,000, how does that sound?”
“My knife…”
“No, we still need to use the extra ¥40,000 to help find a place for those 188 dogs, that’s not an easy task.”
“Limited edition knife…”
I tried to lead the conversation several times, but failed. Tthe class leader turned to me and advised me anxiously, “Ye Lin, can you stop bringing up your knife for a while.”
“Okay.” I put the Swiss Army knife back into my pocket in disappointment. It seems now indeed was not the right time to show it off.
“Dong~ dong~ dong~”
The clock on the main building of the service stop pointed to 11 and it also rang out loud.
“I’m going out to make a phone call.” Ma HuiYu stood up from her seat, then she looked at Officer Ma, the Zeng brothers, and finally her gaze landed on Shu Sha, “You guys wait for me for 5 minutes.”
“Hurry up and discuss it with Niu Zong.” Zeng Lao Liu urged, “The sooner you get the ¥80,000, the sooner we can leave.”
Ma HuiYu ignored Zeng Lao Liu, then turned her body sideways to leave. The Xu rich woman was very fat, it took more effort for her to let Ma HuiYu out, so she pounded her waist and said:
“Hui Hui, will you be able to finish everything in one phone call. My waist can’t handle it if you have to keep coming in and out. How about you sit on the outside and Shu Sha can sit with her classmate.”
Ma HuiYu nodded in agreement, then walked passed me and the rich woman, and went outside the restaurant to make a phone call.
After the rich woman stood up, she used the table to support herself but didn’t sit back down. She used her chin to signal for me to sit in Ma HuiYu’s spot. I gladly obliged and sat down next to the class leader.
The class leader was a bit reserved and had her knees pointed towards the window. She even scooched over a bit when she saw me sit down to prevent bodily contact.
Sitting next to the class leader reminded me of the time we went to the movies together. Last time it was because Xiao Qin got a lot of free tickets, so we called a bunch of classmates to go with us, but the class leader was sitting to my right.
Today, while the class leader was sitting to my left, she was dressed almost the same as last time at the movies.
She was wearing a short-sleeved white blouse and a pair of navy blue skinny jeans. The sides of the jeans looks like it was damaged on purpose for fashion. That isn’t really the class leader’s style, but the jeans was a present from her parents and Shu Zhe also had a pair, so she occasionally wears it outside.
The blouse was high quality because even though the sun was intense but it still didn’t cause the blouse to be translucent and reveal the class leader’s underwear.
“Didn’t I say you don’t need to come?”
The class leader complained slightly while keeping an eye out the window.
I smiled slightly, “Both you and Xiao Ding came, so how could I stay at home. By the way, where’s your brother?”
“He has to go out today, but he wasn’t awake yet when I left. I put his breakfast in the microwave..”
Wow, the class leader had to meet up with the volunteers at the pet hospital at 6, so she probably had to wake up at 5 and she still didn’t forget to prepare you breakfast. Shu Zhe, you ungrateful bastard, even if you don’t like dogs and didn’t want to participate, you should at least care about your sister’s safety.
It has already been shown on the news many times, regardless whether cars were stopped to save cats or dogs, it was very likely for it to turn violent. A woman who worked in the cafeteria of 28 Middle was repeatedly kicked in the abdomen because she tried to stopped some cat dealers from transporting their goods, and she wasn’t able to come to work for several days. If the class leader was my sister, even if I hated cats and dogs, I would have accompanied her regardless of the outcome. I would have to at least ensure the personal safety of my sister!
Shu Zhe, you ingrate, I don’t care if you already had plans with Fan Chuan or Uncle Fireball, but I hope they violate your ass. You already implied before that as long as someone gives you an iPhone 5s, you would provide them with all kinds of services that’s even more humiliating than dressing up as a cat maid.
“Hmph, go and act rich while letting them fuck your ass…”
I thought in my head, but accidentally said it aloud.
“What did you say?” The class leader turned around in disbelief as she couldn’t believe I said such vulgar words in front of her.
“No.” I quickly said, “You misheard.”
Although the class leader thought it was impossible for her to mishear, she let it go since I was a patient.
“How come she’s still not back?” Zeng Lao Liu looked anxiously at Ma HuiYu, who was standing in the middle of the plaza.
“What’s the rush, it hasn’t even been 5 minutes. Let her have a nice chat with Niu Zong.” Officer Ma leaned his head back and closed his eyes to rest, “I recommend you guys to be satisfied with what you already have. ¥80,000 is not possible, but ¥55,000 to ¥60,000 might be doable…”
“Hey.” I couldn’t help but say, “What kind of nephew are you? Why are you urging others behind the scenes to scam your aunt? Did Hui-jie not give you any New Year’s money?”
All the volunteers, other than the rich woman who called her Hui Hui, called Ma HuiYu ‘Ma-jie’ or ‘Hui-jie’, so I followed in suit. I did it purposely to make Officer Ma mad so it would basically make me be in the same hierarchy as Officer Ma’s uncle.
Officer Ma definitely got mad and he couldn’t even rest anymore.
“Ye Lin, shut up, this has nothing to do. Besides, I’m scamming Niu Zong’s money, not my aunt’s.”
“Amitabha.” The rich woman pressed her palms together, “Anyone who extorts money from others will have to enter the eighteen levels of hell after death and suffer the pain of being boiled in oil…”
“Whatever.” Officer Ma didn’t really care about superstitions, “I could even sleep in a pot of oil right now, as long as Hui Hui doesn’t jump into a pot of oil herself… Niu Zong has already has already spent a lot of money over and over again to buy dogs, probably as much as much as ¥200,000. Does he really like dogs that much, I think it’s because he’s got his eyes on Hui Hui…”
The rich woman immediately transformed from her previous pious face into an angry King Kong, “How can you question Niu Zong’s love for dogs? He lived in the mountains as a child. When a wolf slipped into his home, it was his dog who saved his life and now he’s paying it back.”
“It wasn’t these dogs that saved his life. He still has plans for Hui Hui, otherwise it’s impossible to spend money so generously. I’m going to make him reveal his true self today.”
After a pause, and turned to Zeng Lao Liu and said, “It’s your lucky day, I’m planning on making Niu Zong spend a bit more. If he doesn’t think it’s worth it and makes an outrageous request to my aunt, it would let my aunt see his true self. Let’s set the price limit at ¥60,000, I won’t support you if you ask for any more.”
“¥60,000 is fine.” Zeng Lao Liu already knew it wasn’t realistic to aim for ¥80,000. Since the police captain was supporting them to go against his relative, he was quite pleased at how it turned out.
“Sir, should we record this?” Xiao Zhang asked with a bitter face.
“Of course, why wouldn’t you record it?” Officer Ma replied, “I’m basically putting justice before my family. Also, the dog dealers are taking all of the money, I’m not asking for a share so I have nothing to hide.”
“So you’re harming others even when it doesn’t benefit yourself.” The rich woman muttered, “Did Niu Zong ever offend you in any way? Although he is a bit older, he has never been married. Even if he does want to get together with Hui Hui, that’s their own business. Why are you interfering with them?”
“Cause I want to. Niu Zong doesn’t sound like a good person, I’m definitely not going to let things go his way.”
“Officer Ma, you’re right.” Zeng Lao Liu gave a thumbs up, “Niu Zong doesn’t sound like a good person, so your aunt shouldn’t fall for his schemes.”
Huh, are we still talking about saving the dogs, aren’t we straying a bit too far from our main objectives? Officer Ma, so you’re siding with the dog dealers and not your aunt because you think Niu Zong isn’t a good person? Why are you being so unlikable? Even if I don’t know Niu Zong, but I really want to help him now since we’re both being treated as bad guys by Officer Ma. If you’re insistent in getting involved, then I’m going to try my best to stop you. I’m also not going to let the dog dealers get that ¥60,000.
Once the class leader and I find the other car that’s illegally smuggling pet dogs, they won’t even be able to get ¥40,000. Smuggling stolen goods is a criminal offense, so Officer Ma would have to personally handcuff the Zeng brothers and bring them back to the police station.
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