Lu Jiuling pedaled his bicycle furiously.
The old street's concrete surface was riddled with potholes. The bucket tied to the back seat bounced around, and one could hear the black fish constantly swaying and striking the walls of the bucket.
Of the dozen or so hair salons, half were still open. Through the glass, one could see women in revealing clothing sitting on couches inside, playing on their phones.
Neon store signs glowed weakly with dim light, struggling to create a romantic atmosphere.
The mixed scent of perfume and body wash wafted through the street with the morning breeze, crisp and distinct, as if the entire old street had been thoroughly marinated in it.
Lu Jiuling had heard some rumors—some boys from No. 2 High School, overwhelmed by academic pressure, would secretly come here to get their hair washed and relax.
Ow! Ow!
Two shrill cries rang out, followed by a teddy bear dog—clearly beaten, with blood on its head—charging out of a salon and darting across the street.
The teddy was moving too fast, and the distance was too close. Lu Jiuling wanted to dodge, but it was already too late!
Bang!
The teddy slammed headfirst into the front wheel.
Awoo!
The dog whimpered!
If not for carrying that half-filled bucket of water, Lu Jiuling could have stabilized the bicycle. But now he couldn't. He could only bail off the bike to keep from falling.
Clang!
The bicycle flipped over.
Splash!
The bucket shattered. Ten black fish poured out along with the water, flowing across the ground.
"Haha!"
Laughter immediately erupted nearby, and several women who loved a spectacle walked out of the salons to gather around and watch.
A young woman wearing a low-cut camisole, with pink yoga pants so tight below that every contour of her buttocks was perfectly outlined, even pointed her phone at Lu Jiuling to take photos.
"Students from No. 2 High School not going to class—buying so many fish early in the morning, what for?"
Anzhou No. 2 High School was a key high school. As long as students were willing to endure hardship, they had a great chance of testing into a good university and leaving the Rust Belt.
"Maybe it's a new study method?"
"What kind of method would use so many fish?"
"Probably another senior cramming at the last minute, copying some weird ritual from the internet to try out!"
The salon girls chatted idly; not one offered to help.
Mainly, none of them wanted to touch the fish this boy had dropped.
After all, in their line of work, they needed to stay pretty. If they got covered in fishy odor and a client smelled it, they might think the girl was sick and would turn around and leave immediately.
Lu Jiuling swept his eyes over the struggling black fish on the ground, then looked toward the salon on the right with the sign "Yamo Beauty Studio."
That beaten teddy had burst out from this very shop.
Now, a bare-chested man wearing baggy shorts was standing in front of the shop door, a cigarette dangling from his mouth, gripping an expandable baton.
That damned dog had diarrhea, making a mess all over the living room. The shorts guy saw it and got so angry he grabbed the baton, wanting to beat it to death.
That was why the teddy had fled in such desperate panic.
Hiss!
The shorts guy took a drag, slowly exhaling smoke rings as he looked at Lu Jiuling, showing absolutely no intention of apologizing or helping to pick up the fish.
Lu Jiuling didn't waste words. He reached his right hand behind his back.
This movement made the shorts guy's eyelids twitch violently.
Fuck!
A hard target?
Was he faking it? Or was he really ruthless?
The shorts guy silently observed Lu Jiuling, various thoughts spinning in his mind, but he definitely wouldn't say anything soft, nor would he pick up the fish.
He ran this area. If he apologized to a high school student and picked up fish today, how could he still show his face around here?
Hiss!
The shorts guy took another drag. With a flick of his wrist, he twirled the baton into two beautiful arcs. The threatening meaning was self-evident.
After sizing up the shorts guy, Lu Jiuling's gaze slid downward, landing on his stomach.
Apologize?
Lu Jiuling didn't need that at all.
He had suddenly felt an impulse to see what this man had eaten yesterday, and whether it had finished digesting.
"What the fuck are you looking at?"
The shorts guy cursed, bolstering his own courage.
Being stared at by Lu Jiuling made him somewhat creeped out. It felt as if the other person would lunge at him the next second, stab him to death, cut open his stomach, pull out his entrails, and feed them to dogs.
The shorts guy twisted his body unnaturally, trying to avoid Lu Jiuling's gaze.
"You killed my dog! Pay up!"
A young woman with dyed red hair rushed out of the salon, shouting at Lu Jiuling.
"Finished, he's being scammed by that vixen!"
"Classmate, hurry up and pick up your fish and leave!"
The salon girls sighed, and one kind-hearted older sister offered a word of advice.
That vixen was called Wang Yumei, and neither she nor the man she was with were good people. Being entangled by them would bring nothing but trouble.
Lu Jiuling's reason told him that quickly picking up the fish and going home was the correct course of action, but he had a strong impulse to see that shorts guy's intestines.
Lu Jiuling moved.
Just as he walked toward the shorts guy, about to pull out the Buddha Intestine Shortsword wrapped in test papers and ask if the man could show him his intestines, from a barbershop not far away, a tall, slender girl came rushing out wearing flip-flops and carrying a bucket.
"Classmate, you can borrow this bucket!"
The long-legged girl was about Lu Jiuling's age. She wore denim shorts, and her long legs were white and straight, with just the right amount of muscle and fat, sketching perfect curves.
Normally, the shorts guy would have whistled at Ye Shaoguang's long legs, but today he wasn't in the mood.
That high school student's gaze made him feel as if he had thorns in his back, extremely uncomfortable.
Slap! Slap!
The black fish weakly slapped their tails, their mouths opening and closing; they were about to die from drying out.
The long-legged girl didn't mind the dirt either, running back and forth to help pick up the fish.
"Thanks!"
Lu Jiuling turned around to pick up the fish. He couldn't let the girl do all the work alone.
"You're a student from No. 2 High School with unlimited future prospects. Don't lower yourself to that thug's level!"
The long-legged girl advised.
Honestly, this boy's toughness made her quite admire him.
"Heh!"
Lu Jiuling thought, I'm not lowering myself to his level. I just want to see his intestines.
"Hey, my teddy..."
Wang Yumei was used to throwing her weight around and remained persistent, wanting to scam Lu Jiuling out of some money.
"Shut up!"
The shorts guy barked. "Go back!"
"What's wrong?"
Wang Yumei was displeased.
"What's my status? I'm about to make big money and become a boss. Why would I bother with a high school student?"
Ptoo!
The shorts guy spat. "Give him 50. Forget it, give him 100, and get rid of him quick."
"What?"
Wang Yumei's voice shot up. "Give *him* money?"
He should be burning incense in gratitude that I'm not scamming him!
"Go now!"
The shorts guy was growing impatient.
He didn't want to tell his mistress that the high school student's gaze looked somewhat sinister. And from his frequent fighting experience, he could tell at a glance that the other definitely had a weapon tucked at the small of his back!
Forget it!
Young people nowadays were hotheads who didn't know the severity of their actions. If he got stabbed, it simply wouldn't be worth it.
Wang Yumei twisted her hips, reeking of strong perfume, and walked up to Lu Jiuling cursing, throwing a hundred-yuan bill at him.
"Get lost. Don't affect my business!"
Wang Yumei snorted and turned back into the shop.
The long-legged girl looked astonished. Zou Long was a huge ruffian—how could he voluntarily pay compensation?
Was he possessed?
She saw that Lu Jiuling hadn't moved, still staring at Wang Yumei's back, so she quickly picked up the money and stuffed it into Lu Jiuling's hand.
"Hurry home!"
The long-legged girl was also preparing to leave.
"Thanks!"
Lu Jiuling reached back and stuffed the money into the long-legged girl's shorts pocket, then carried the bucket in one hand and rode the bike back toward the residential area with the other.
"Hey, your money!"
The long-legged girl was bewildered.
"Buying your bucket!"
Lu Jiuling left those words behind and left.
That long-legged girl had helped catch the fish and dirtied her clothes, so of course Lu Jiuling had to show his appreciation. Anyway, he didn't know if he would survive his next God Game, so keeping the money was useless. He might as well give it to her.
Also, that shorts guy was too impolite—not even an apology!
Heh,
This isn't over!
Your intestines, I'm going to check them!
Lu Jiuling was completely unaware that his mind was currently filled with nothing but the thought of "checking intestines."
"I don't want it!"
Ye Shaoguang had come out to help purely because this boy was pleasing to the eye. She had never thought about wanting a reward.
She wanted to chase after Lu Jiuling and return the money, but the other party was like a bridegroom eager to enter the bridal chamber, already over thirty meters away.
"That's it? So boring!"
"What? You wanted to see that handsome little guy get beaten up?"
"He's quite good-looking, but his brain isn't so good. Can't tell who matters and who doesn't. Doesn't know that offending certain people brings trouble."
These salon sisters were utterly bored. Watching other people fight was a form of leisure and entertainment.
"Maybe he has a background. Didn't you see he's wearing a Patek Philippe on his wrist?"
Yoga Pants flipped through the photos she had just taken, zooming in, focusing on the watch on Lu Jiuling's left wrist.
"I saw it, but it's definitely fake!"
"Of course! A poor student couldn't afford a Rolex, let alone a Patek Philippe!"
"What if he's some tycoon's illegitimate son? Maybe he'll be recognized by his family someday."
The salon sisters chirped away, their discussion burning hot. It was only because Lu Jiuling's looks were good enough. If he were any uglier, everyone would have lost interest long ago.
"Might as well dream. Everything exists in dreams!"
Wang Yumei sneered coldly.
"Sister Wang, with that face of his, as long as he's willing to lower himself, he won't lack for food in the future!"
Yoga Pants chuckled.
"You'll provide for him?"
Wang Yumei scoffed.
"If he's willing!"
Yoga Pants crossed her arms, lifting up her considerable bust. "I'd absolutely pay him!"
"I think you're really starved!"
Wang Yumei mocked. "No wonder you came to do this line of work. Your taste is terrible!"
Yoga Pants's expression dimmed, but her mouth wouldn't admit defeat. "I served my sugar daddy for several years. I'm already fed up. Can't I ruin some fresh young meat?"
After speaking, Yoga Pants turned and went back into the shop.
Heh!
A bunch of stupid women who've never left the Rust Belt. Combined, they don't have two luxury items on them, and those they have are all fake. No wonder they can't recognize a Patek Philippe!
Speaking of which, what's that high school student's background?
This kind of potential stock—I need to find a way to get to know him and ruthlessly fleece some wool from him.
Even if I can't fleece him, having a bite of fresh meat works too!
In this declining third-tier city, running a salon—besides making yourself dirty—how much money can you really make?
Better to do some "investing"!
Yoga Pants had just returned from Jinghai two months ago. She lived here mainly because this old street area had a big "reputation," plus it was close to No. 2 High School, so she could come into contact with more high-quality male high school students.
"That boy's looks are off the charts. I don't know about his IQ, though? Can he get into a university in Jinghai?"
Yoga Pants admired Lu Jiuling's photo, preparing to start her first investment since returning to Anzhou.