As the only individual in Yongnan County qualified to compete with Qin Chuan, Han Shifei was by no means an insignificant figure.
Qin Chuan represented a new force, while Han Shifei had deep roots and a complex network of connections.
Despite Qin Chuan's current powerful momentum and the extensive expansion of his network, he might not necessarily be stronger than Han Shifei. Such established local powers held many secrets.
For instance, Qin Chuan's current businesses were legitimate: real estate, clothing, supermarkets, electronics factories, and renovation companies.
In contrast, Han Shifei operated in high-interest loans, casinos, and other lucrative, gray-market ventures.
While these were not as strictly suppressed as they would be in later times, the state still made significant efforts annually to eliminate negative social influences.
The fact that Han Shifei had remained unscathed for so many years was a testament to his considerable influence and shrewdness.
Considering all this, Qin Chuan firmly believed that the animosity between him and Han Shifei would not end so easily, especially since the latter had genuinely suffered losses at his hands.
Han Shifei's return at this crucial juncture, reportedly accompanied by many new faces, necessitated caution and vigilance.
In fact, Qin Chuan's premonition was accurate. Just a few days later, trouble indeed erupted.
The incident began when Qin Chuan's second brother, accompanied by a group of disreputable friends, went out for some "massage and relaxation." They encountered Han Shifei's men at a particular establishment.
Both parties fancied the same girl, neither willing to back down, leading to a confrontation that escalated into a brawl.
Qin Chuan's second brother's group was outnumbered and quickly beaten.
By the time his elder brother Qin Gang, Zheng Chengdao, and Yao Dong arrived with reinforcements, the other group had already left. All that remained were Qin Gang and his men, bloody and bruised, lying on the ground in a pitiable state.
Qin Chuan received the news late at night while he was sound asleep. A phone call jolted him awake.
Upon learning that his second brother had been beaten and was in the hospital, he immediately drove there. In the hospital, he saw his second brother, his head split open.
His clothes were stained with blood, his head bandaged, and one arm was fractured. His injuries were severe, and he lay in bed, drowsy and disoriented.
Qin Chuan's face darkened as he inquired about the details.
"Xiao Chuan, Second Brother was injured by the new faces Han Shifei brought back," Qin Yang said.
"He said those people were formidable, seemingly professional thugs. Just one of them took down all four of our guys."
"One person took down four?" Qin Chuan asked, surprised. "What about the other three?"
"They're in the next room. Do you want to see them?"
Qin Chuan remained silent, turning towards the adjacent room. His second brother was disoriented, so he needed to understand the situation firsthand.
Pushing open the door to the next hospital room, Qin Chuan was surprised to find that he recognized all three men lying there, and knew them quite well.
These three were Zhou Erwa, Xie Jun, and Wu Aping, whom he had encountered in the village during the Lunar New Year.
Seeing these three, Qin Chuan's already grim expression worsened. These men were supposed to be working in the big cities. What were they doing here?
The Lunar New Year had passed, and under normal circumstances, they should have left the village and returned to their endeavors in the big cities.
Now, encountering them here, Qin Chuan had a strong suspicion of the reason without needing to ask.
They must have seen the situation of his family after the New Year and changed their minds.
They hadn't approached him directly because, being from the same village, they knew his personality. Moreover, his current high status likely instilled a sense of awe and distance.
Therefore, they settled for the next best option, approaching his second brother, who was more aligned with them.
Qin Chuan was unsure how long these men had been associating with his second brother or how much money they had cost him. These details were not important for now. He needed to understand the full picture of the night's events.
"Qin... Qin Chuan!"
"Xiao Chuan, you... you're here!"
In the hospital room, seeing Qin Chuan enter with a large group of people, Zhou Erwa, Wu Aping, and Xie Jun, lying in their beds, were startled.
They then sat up in a panic.
Although they had also been beaten, their injuries—bruises and swelling—were superficial, unlike Qin Gang's more severe wounds.
Qin Chuan stood before them in silence, his sharp gaze exerting immense pressure.
Under his scrutiny, Wu Aping, Xie Jun, and Zhou Erwa became uneasy.
During the New Year gathering in the village, they had only heard villagers talk about how impressive and powerful Qin Chuan was. At that time, they had not personally witnessed the businesses Qin Chuan was involved in.
Thus, aside from jealousy and envy, they harbored a degree of skepticism.
In their minds, he had simply earned a bit more money. They believed they too could earn a lot once they became successful.
This was a common trait among many arrogant young people. Despite not having a few hundred yuan in their pockets, they considered tens of thousands to be insignificant sums.
If others earned hundreds of thousands, they felt that with just one opportunity, they could achieve the same. The difference between them and those successful individuals was merely a matter of luck.
However, this perception changed after they visited the county town for recreation and personally witnessed the scale of Qin Chuan's current business empire.
They finally realized how vast his operations were, reaching heights they had never dared to dream of.
With this realization, Wu Aping and the other two developed a sense of reverence for Qin Chuan.
"Tell me, what exactly happened tonight?"
Qin Chuan's voice was cold and devoid of emotion.
Behind him followed Zheng Chengdao, Bai Xiaoguang, Yao Dong, Qin Yang, and a group of their brothers. Each of their expressions was sharp and chilling, exuding an oppressive aura.
"Qin Chuan, don't misunderstand! We were just out for a casual night out. We had no intention of causing trouble!" Wu Aping was the first to try and clear their names, his face a mask of panic.
"It was those people who started it. We just had a minor argument, and then we were beaten!"
"Yes, those people were too overbearing!"
"Completely unreasonable!" Zhou Erwa and Xie Jun chimed in.
Qin Chuan remained silent, taking out a cigarette from his pack.
Seeing this, Bai Xiaoguang smartly produced a lighter to ignite it for him.
Yao Dong directly moved a stool and placed it behind Qin Chuan.
Qin Chuan sat down, crossed his legs, and maintained a blank expression.
"Don't be scared yet. I'm not here to cause trouble for you. But I need the complete account of what happened. Tell me everything that transpired tonight, word for word."
"Remember, word for word! If you omit anything, leading to any further complications, that will be your responsibility..."