Chapter 108: The Marble

“Uh… well…” Although Song Nian, Qiang, and the big guy were pretty much like a couple of hooligans, they definitely wouldn’t dodge their debts. “Do you have a phone? Let me make a call first,” Song Nian said apologetically, scratching his nose as he spoke to the waiter.

“Hmm!?” The waiter was momentarily taken aback but soon smiled, pulling a phone out of his pocket and handing it to Song Nian. Since it was raining, Song Nian hadn’t brought his phone when leaving the village chief’s house; they definitely didn’t have those waterproof knockoff phones meant for Phelps.

“Xiao Ying! I heard your influence has recently expanded to the township level. Is Dongli Town under your control now?” Song Nian dialed directly to Cang Ying.

“Uh, Brother Qiang, why are you asking that? It’s not easy for us to expand our influence, so please go easy on me!” came the weary voice from the other end.

“Bullshit! Who cares about your little influence? I just want to know if you’ve really taken over Dongli Town! Don’t try to dodge me!” Song Nian was anxious now. The clothes they bought at the Twin Star store had cost over five hundred yuan, but they only had twenty yuan left, soaked by the rain—barely enough for the trip back. And the waiter was watching them intently.

Seeing the waiter’s big eyes blinking at him, Song Nian’s heart raced, and he unconsciously raised his voice. “A few days ago, Dongli Town was already my turf. Brother Qiang, do you need my help with something?” Cang Ying’s tone softened, clearly unsure.

“Hahaha!” Song Nian burst into laughter upon hearing the news, making Cang Ying uneasy on the other end. “Tell your people to bring a thousand yuan to the Twin Star store right away—I’m out of money for clothes!” After saying this, Song Nian heard Cang Ying breathe a sigh of relief.

“You got it, Brother Qiang. I’ll send someone over immediately. Please wait!” he said before hanging up, worried that Song Nian might rashly ask for something he couldn’t handle. But as long as Song Nian asked, Cang Ying would deliver—even if it meant risking the hard-won influence he had built. That was the unspoken code among men.

“All right, someone will be here soon to pay us,” Song Nian said, handing the phone back to the waiter. He and the big guy stood at the door, eagerly watching. Sure enough, Cang Ying was impressively efficient. Within minutes, a Mercedes pulled up in front of the Twin Star store.

Four men stepped out: three young men dressed gaudily, each with a thick gold chain around their necks—whether real or fake, no one could say—and a middle-aged man in casual clothes and slippers, oddly fitting for the rainy day.

“You must be Brother Qiang. I’m Bozi, here to deliver the money,” the middle-aged man said, running through the rain to Song Nian at the door, pulling a wad of cash from his pocket.

“Ha, thanks. You can go now,” Song Nian replied and went inside. After paying the bill, 435 yuan remained from the thousand. When Song Nian came out, he saw that the group hadn’t left but were standing by the store, seemingly waiting for him.

“Is there something else?” Song Nian asked, feeling a bit awkward after taking their money.

“Heh, Brother Qiang, I heard from Ying that you’re quite capable. I’d like to ask for your help,” Bozi said with a smile, though Song Nian found it rather unpleasant.

“You have a problem?” Song Nian had no other pressing matters. The issue in Xiao Wang Village needed to be traced back to its source—where that old man came from—but that wouldn’t be resolved in a day or two. Besides, the old man’s youngest daughter was still unconscious; they had to wait for her to wake up before taking any action.

Bozi seemed to find a confidant and nodded before speaking with a troubled voice. “Brother Qiang, to be honest, my son has been complaining of stomach pain lately. Every midnight, he gets up and paces around the room, muttering as if talking to someone. We’ve taken him to every hospital, but all the doctors say he’s healthy. I’m worried he’s been affected by something unclean.”

Hearing Bozi’s story, Song Nian grew interested. Since he’d be staying in Xiao Wang Village for a while, he might as well help.

Seeing Song Nian deep in thought, Bozi mistakenly thought he was considering the price. He quickly said, “Money’s no issue, as long as my son gets better. You name the price!”

Watching the worry etched on Bozi’s face, Song Nian smiled and patted his shoulder. Despite being seen by others as a ruthless thug, he was tenderly concerned for his child.

“I’ve already taken the money—see, I still have over four hundred left. I’m thinking about your son. Now, take me to your home,” he said with a grin, though he seemed to forget it wasn’t Saturday—the boy’s symptoms only appeared at night, and he was likely still at school.

Bozi was overjoyed and hurriedly said, “Please! Get in the car!” He even ran over to open the doors for Song Nian and the big guy. Seeing such earnestness, Song Nian shook his head helplessly. After all, Bozi was a father, and Song Nian had heard of Bozi’s formidable reputation in Dongli Town—how he alone had defended the town with a single blade, preventing rival forces from stepping in.

After Song Nian and the big guy got in, Bozi instructed the young men briefly before quickly returning to the car. It was already afternoon, and Song Nian was hungry, having only eaten a little that morning.

Bozi was efficient. Knowing his son wouldn’t be out of school yet, he drove straight to the best restaurant in town—the He Mei Restaurant. Originally a supermarket, it had been forced to switch businesses after being squeezed out by competitors. Unexpectedly, the restaurant flourished and had become the top dining spot in town.

“Brother Bo!” the hostess greeted politely with a bow and a sweet “Brother Bo!” Bozi responded naturally and led Song Nian and the big guy to a private room on the second floor. The room was decorated in an ancient Chinese style, though Song Nian knew nothing of history and couldn’t tell which dynasty it was from.

“Not bad. Didn’t expect such a place here!” Song Nian looked around. The restaurant was thoughtfully decorated with various styles, but its location wasn’t ideal—at least compared to those in the county seat.

“If this restaurant were in the county, it could definitely compete with the Yiyuan Grand Hotel!” he said as the dishes were served one after another. The variety showed the chef’s skill, but Bozi hadn’t ordered any alcohol—he worried that if Song Nian got drunk, his son would be left helpless.

“We’ll eat our own food!” Song Nian told Bozi as the dishes arrived. At first, Bozi didn’t understand, but when he saw how Song Nian and the big guy ate, he quickly realized.

They were like two starving ghosts reincarnated—devouring the food with an almost unbeatable appetite. Within a minute of the dishes arriving, half the plates were wiped clean. Yet, they showed some restraint: no matter the dish, they only ate half a plate each.

“Delicious!” “So flavorful!”

Suddenly, they both stopped mid-bite, closed their eyes, and inhaled deeply. Just then, a waiter brought a plate of shredded potatoes. Before the waiter could set it down, Song Nian snatched it up, placing it before himself and digging in. But the big guy wasn’t about to be left out and immediately joined the feast.

Bozi finally understood—these two gluttons had been saving room for the shredded potatoes.