Hearing Xiao Yunlong's words, the scarred strong man was stunned. He never expected anyone to dare to step forward and question him at this moment.
"Tang Shanbao, who is that kid talking?" The scarred strong man pointed directly at Xiao Yunlong on the bar counter and shouted.
Tang Shanbao looked troubled. He certainly didn't expect his nephew to interject at such a critical juncture, and to say such things.
With the atmosphere tense and both sides on the verge of conflict, weren't his words a fuse that would ignite everything?
"Sorry, Brother Scar. This is my nephew. He just arrived in Jiangdong provincial city today and doesn't know anything. I'll have them leave now!" Tang Shanbao said, turning to Xiao Yunlong and about to tell him to leave.
"Wait!" Brother Scar suddenly waved his hand, his gaze fixed on Liu Ruyan. He grinned and said, "I didn't notice earlier, but this little lady is so beautiful, and more importantly, so pure. Master Rat always liked this kind of thing."
Saying that, Brother Scar looked at Tang Shanbao and grinned, "Boss Tang, you know Master Rat's temper. As long as you hand over this little lady to me today, I can speak to Master Rat for you. Perhaps Master Rat will be happy and reduce your bar's profit by one or two floors."
Tang Shanbao said with a fawning smile, "Brother Scar, aren't you putting me in a difficult position? She is my nephew's fiancée. How could I possibly do such a thing? This has nothing to do with them. Let them leave first!"
Liu Ruyan's face was already flushed with anger.
Xiao Yunlong remained calm. He even picked up the wine bottle and took a swig, then said, "I'm in a very bad mood today. If you're sensible, get out now, and I won't pursue it. Otherwise..."
"Otherwise what?" The scarred strong man interrupted directly, gritting his teeth and sneering, "Damn it, you're still a kid, but you're quite arrogant when you speak. Do you know whose territory West City is? It's Master Rat's territory!"
"So? You're not leaving?" Xiao Yunlong got down from the booth and walked towards the other party step by step.
Seeing this, Tang Shanbao quickly stepped forward to stop Xiao Yunlong.
"What, kid, are you trying to make a move?"
The scarred strong man looked disdainful and even took a step forward, taunting, "Come on, kid, try to make a move? Do you have the guts? Do you dare..."
Before he could finish, Xiao Yunlong suddenly darted forward and kicked out.
With a bang!
The tall and mighty scarred man was kicked three meters away, smashing the table behind him to pieces, and wine bottles shattered on the ground.
Everyone was shocked. The dozen or so thugs froze in place, their eyes wide with disbelief.
Even Tang Shanbao was stunned, muttering, "What... what should we do now?"
The scarred man struggled to get up, but he couldn't stand at all. He just roared, "You... what are you waiting for? Get him, get..."
Before he could finish, Xiao Yunlong reached him in one step and stomped on his head, saying, "Dare to move, believe it or not, I'll crush you to death?"
Perhaps sensing the powerful aura emanating from Xiao Yunlong, the scarred strong man was frightened and repeatedly shouted, "Don't... don't come over, don't make any rash moves!"
The dozen or so thugs stopped in their tracks.
"Insignificant ants, daring to be presumptuous in front of me. Today, I'll break your rotten teeth as a lesson. Go back and tell your smelly rat that if he dares to cause trouble again, don't blame me for being impolite!"
After speaking, Xiao Yunlong's right foot exerted a little more pressure. Blood immediately flowed from the corner of the scarred strong man's mouth, and a few teeth fell out.
"Don't... I was wrong, I beg for mercy!" The scarred strong man wailed repeatedly.
Tang Shanbao blinked his eyes, unable to believe what he was seeing. He was clearly shocked by the aura Xiao Yunlong displayed.
"Scram!" Xiao Yunlong lifted his foot and kicked the scarred strong man away.
The more than ten thugs looked at each other, frozen and not daring to make a move. Finally, they fled as if they had seen a ghost.
The scarred strong man, with the help of his subordinates, stood up and roared with a mouth full of blood, "Damn it, daring to lay hands on me, you kid are incredibly bold! And you, Tang Shanbao, you dare to defy Master Rat's decree. Just you wait, Master Rat will definitely not let you off lightly!"
The scarred strong man did not dare to charge in again, as Xiao Yunlong's kick had already scared him half to death. After issuing his threat, without waiting for anyone inside to speak, he quickly waved his hand for his subordinates to help him leave.
Xiao Yunlong just smiled faintly, too lazy to pay them any further attention. As for this "Master Rat," he didn't take him seriously at all.
The bar fell silent again. No one spoke. Tang Shanbao stood there blankly, seemingly still recovering from the shock.
Xiao Yunlong calmly walked back to Liu Ruyan by the bar and took another swig from the wine bottle.
Perhaps startled by the gulping sound, Tang Shanbao shook his head and sighed, walking up to Xiao Yunlong and saying, "Yunlong, you were too impulsive this time, too impulsive!"
Xiao Yunlong replied, "Impulsive? They were almost riding on our heads. Should I still act like a grandson? I say, Sixth Uncle, this isn't like you from back then!"
Tang Shanbao said helplessly, "It's different now. This is not Chuan City. We fled here, with no connections and no influence. If we were still in Chuan City, I would have beaten his ancestors for eighteen generations!"
"Of course, Sixth Uncle isn't afraid of that scarred man. He's worried about the smelly rat behind him. Actually, that smelly rat isn't that scary. If we really fought, your Sixth Uncle might not be his opponent. What truly makes me wary is the force behind that smelly rat!"
Liu Ruyan couldn't help but ask, "Sixth Uncle, may I ask if there's any force behind that smelly rat?"
"Jiangdong Pavilion. The smelly rat has the backing of Jiangdong Pavilion. In fact, almost all the forces in the Jiangdong underworld are controlled by Jiangdong Pavilion. That's a true behemoth, a super powerful force!"
Tang Shanbao sighed helplessly, "We only fled from Chuan City to Jiangdong last year. Because we were unfamiliar with the place and had no background or connections, I couldn't get engineering projects. I thought of using my savings to open a few bars and entertainment venues, but who knew..."
"Really, it's too difficult to do anything without background connections these days. There are pitfalls everywhere, especially in the underworld. It's even harder!"
Xiao Yunlong smiled and said, "It's okay, Sixth Uncle. Aren't you still here? If you encounter any difficulties in the future, just give me a command."
Liu Ruyan also said, "Yes, Sixth Uncle. We know many people in Sucheng and have some connections and background. Perhaps we can help."
Tang Shanbao repeatedly waved his hands and sighed, "I'm very pleased and grateful for your intentions, but it's useless. Sucheng is a small place. Even if you know the Chief of Sucheng's Security Department, it won't be of use in Jiangdong."
"You can open bars in Sucheng," Liu Ruyan said. "Didn't you go to Sucheng for an inspection a few days ago?"
"This is a good idea, but it's a bit frustrating and helpless. Back then..."
Tang Shanbao shook his head again, "Never mind, let's not talk about the past. Today, that smelly rat will definitely not let this matter go. It seems we can't keep this bar open. And Yunlong, you two should return to Sucheng tomorrow to avoid retaliation!"
Xiao Yunlong didn't respond to his words, instead looking at the messy hall. "Sixth Uncle, is your bar still open tonight? I'm in a bad mood and want to drink!"
Tang Shanbao laughed heartily, "So many things have happened at home, I understand your feelings. I was planning to close, but since you said so, we'll stay open tonight. What are we afraid of? Drink all the wine here as you please!"
After speaking, Tang Shanbao turned to the still stunned waiters. "What are you standing there for? Hurry up and clean up and continue operating. Also, bring out my good wine!"
The dozen or so waiters immediately got busy, quickly cleaning up the hall. Several bottles of good wine were also brought out. However, since there were no other customers, and Liu Ruyan didn't like loud, explosive music, the DJ switched to light music. This left her standing there, not knowing what to do.
After a few drinks with Xiao Yunlong, Tang Shanbao said, "Yunlong, I still have some things to deal with, so I won't drink with you. Besides, with you two lovebirds here, it's not appropriate for me to be a third wheel. I'll have the waiters bring some drinks, juices, and snacks. You two can chat slowly. If you need anything, just ask, don't be polite with me!"
"Don't worry, Sixth Uncle, I won't be polite," Xiao Yunlong said with a light smile.
"You're doing great, kid. Your experiences over the years have made you more straightforward. You're a man, and you suit my taste, Sixth Uncle!" Tang Shanbao said, laughing as he left.
The bar's neon lights still flickered, and light music diffused through the hall like wisps of smoke. After the commotion, not only had all the customers left, but even most of the waiters had fled. Only a few were busy in the hall.
Juices, drinks, and some snacks were quickly served. Xiao Yunlong deliberately chose a corner seat.
After the waiter left, Liu Ruyan finally couldn't help but ask, "Yunlong, I really want to know why Aunt and Cousin said you were a rapist? Is there any hidden reason behind this?"
Xiao Yunlong tilted his head back and took a sip of wine, his gaze becoming hazy. Under the flickering neon lights, his thoughts seemed to be pulled back five years.
"That was five years ago. I remember it was right after the college entrance examination. Everyone was having a party to celebrate that night. The pampered daughter of the Wu family also came. Who knew that my cousin and a few older sons of wealthy families had designs on that young lady from the Wu family, and they conspired to drug her!"
"Perhaps the dosage was too light, and the Wu family girl resisted fiercely, and was eventually accidentally killed by them. Coincidentally, I happened to witness it on the spot. So, these guys framed me and jointly accused me!"
"Damn it, this is simply not human, but beastly!" Liu Ruyan said indignantly, biting her lip, "Didn't you explain yourself at the time?"
"Of course, I explained. But it was no use. My grandmother favored my cousin at the time because he was glib and good at pleasing people. Besides, he was the eldest grandson of the family. And I was so scared at the time that I stammered."
Xiao Yunlong said with a bitter smile, then tilted his head back and took another sip of wine. "Moreover, the most important thing is that the forces behind those young men were much larger than my Xiao family's. The Wu family was pressing hard, and under pressure from all sides, the Xiao family had no choice but to hand me over!"
"The Wu family's daughter was killed, and they were naturally furious. But, didn't they call the police at the time?" Liu Ruyan asked.
"No. Such matters involve various prominent families. In fact, many are resolved privately. Even if the police were called, the Supervisory Department wouldn't dare to interfere too much. At that time, the major wealthy families quickly reached an agreement to hand me over to the Wu family as a scapegoat to pay for the crime."
Xiao Yunlong grinned bitterly again as he spoke.
"So, at that time, you had no choice but to escape from the family and flee Chuan City?" Liu Ruyan asked.
"Yes. Fortunately, my mother and my Sixth Uncle and other uncles secretly worked to get me out of Chuan City. But even so, the situation at the time was perilous. The Wu family sent a large number of experts to hunt me down. Fortunately, I was blessed with good luck, otherwise..."
Xiao Yunlong shook his head. If he hadn't met that mysterious old man at the end, he would have gone to see the King of Hell long ago.
Liu Ruyan frowned and said, "I understand now. Because you ran away at the time, the Wu family couldn't get revenge, so they turned their anger towards your family, and even destroyed your Xiao family, and forced your Sixth Uncle and the others to leave Chuan City, right?"
Xiao Yunlong shook his head. "Only partly correct. Actually, Sixth Uncle is right. The incident five years ago was just a fuse. The various families in Chuan City were already in conflict. However, at that time, the Wu family's overall strength was similar to the Xiao family's, so it was unlikely to destroy the clan."
"Then why..." Liu Ruyan was confused.
"Because more than a year ago, someone from the Wu family rose to power, becoming one of the nine leaders of the Southern Border, with a status and influence that directly surpassed the Chuan City Governor's Mansion. That's why the Wu family had the ability to destroy the Xiao family overnight!"
Xiao Yunlong sighed, then continued, "Actually, I only found out later. At that time, I was in the Northern Territory and couldn't attend to anything else. Regardless, my blood flows from the Xiao family. If I had known in advance, I would never have let such a thing happen!"
After speaking, he tilted his head back and drank again.
Liu Ruyan didn't try to stop him, because she knew how he felt at the moment.
"Yunlong, since you were framed, why didn't you explain clearly to Aunt and Cousin just now?" Liu Ruyan asked after thinking for a moment.
"No need. The people I care about most are gone. What's the point of explaining anymore?"
Xiao Yunlong grinned, then suddenly looked up at Liu Ruyan and asked, "By the way, after telling you so much, do you believe me?"
"I believe you!" Liu Ruyan nodded heavily without hesitation. "Even if the whole world doubts you, I will still believe you!"
Xiao Yunlong smiled and nodded. "In this world now, having you believe me is enough!"
"Cheers!" He raised his wine bottle.
"Cheers!" She picked up her juice.
The two looked at each other, smiled, and drank it all down.