328: Chapter 328: Replanning 328: Chapter 328: Replanning Yandang Bar, within a private room, had been set up with a large dining table.
Xu Hu had people prepare a table full of sumptuous dishes from a restaurant early on and had two bottles of Maotai brought directly to the room.
Tangyu, Xu Hu, Lengzi, Xiao Yu, along with He Ganlian, a total of nine people were present.
Even Hu’s most capable subordinates were not allowed to join them.
Xu Hu was very happy that day, enthusiastically playing the role of waiter as he poured drinks for everyone.
Each person here, either he deeply respected or was somewhat afraid of, like Xiao Yu, who was the gang leader of the Four Seas Gang, known by the nickname “Shark.”
In Donglin City, that was a name that carried weight, and Xu Hu had long admired the reputation of Shark.
In Shark’s presence, he felt like he was just a small soldier, filled with a natural respect and a degree of fear towards Shark.
If it had been the past, Xu Hu wouldn’t have believed he could drink at the same table as Shark and even call him brother.
“I’ll drink to everyone.” Xu Hu said warmly.
Everyone gave him face and downed a glass.
Lengzi and Xiao Yu were getting along famously, after all, it had been more than three years since they had met.
Their last encounter was just in passing, and now they finally were able to sit down and drink properly.
The five brothers, including He Ganlian, were a bit more restrained, but the atmosphere didn’t feel oppressive.
“Ganlian, are you getting used to it here?” Tangyu asked.
He Ganlian smiled and nodded, “Very much so, this place suits us, and we all like this kind of life.
We have no education or skills, and doing other things is pointless.
We have brute force and passion, dealing with fighting and killing keeps us fulfilled.
Boss, thank you for providing a home for us five brothers.
We are all indebted to you,” He Ganlian said, and then the other four also raised their glasses to Tangyu.
Tangyu smiled and said, “Don’t mention it, we are all brothers here.
Take it easy.
If you need anything, feel free to speak to Brother Hu, or you can come directly to me.”
“Heh, Brother Hu takes very good care of us five brothers.
Not only did he buy us a big house, he also gives us tens of thousands of yuan each month to spend and often takes us to find women.
This kind of life is something we couldn’t even dream of before, and all of this is because you bestowed it upon us.
You also helped us get out of trouble with our cases.
Otherwise, we would still be living like rats crossing the streets.
The five of us swore long ago that we would follow you for life,” He Ganlian said, his sincerity was tangible.
Tangyu gave a light smile.
Having won the loyalty of He Ganlian and the others was something to be happy about.
The foundations of these five men were very strong, and with just a bit of training, they could all become top-class fighters.
And with Lengzi and Xiao Yu around, Tangyu was confident they could be shaped into five ferocious tigers.
At the dinner table, everyone was bold and the atmosphere was very harmonious.
A relaxed leader naturally made everyone interact like brothers.
Of course, in everyone’s hearts, Tangyu was regarded as their boss, and even Xu Hu had had a change of heart.
He had never respected anyone in his life, the only person he willingly submitted to was Tangyu.
“Hu Brother, how’s your progress?” Tangyu asked.
Xu Hu was energized instantly: “Currently, we’re steadily advancing.
We’ve absorbed the surrounding three forces and now the entire Eastern District is watching us.
Some have even started to band together.
I’m confident that in at most three months, I’ll take down the whole Eastern District.” Xu Hu was full of ambition.
With so many helpers and the support of lawful forces, he felt free to make bold moves.
Years of repression made him burst forth like a tiger, unstoppable.
“Three months, too long,” Tangyu shook his head.
Xu Hu was stunned and looked at Tangyu.
Three months wasn’t really too much time.
The Eastern District was too vast, with over a hundred local bosses alone, including some sizable powers.
It was relatively easy to handle the smaller bosses, but not so for the bigger ones.
Hence, Xu Hu’s three months were indeed filled with ambition.
Of course, it was because the Eastern District was unlike other districts—it did not have any significant force that could dominate, and it was in a state where various forces were blooming.
Also, the Donglin City Public Security Bureau’s forces could tilt towards their side; these factors together gave Xu Hu his boldness and confidence.
If in three months he could indeed unite the underground forces of the Eastern District, it would certainly send shockwaves through the underworld of Donglin City.
Of course, there were many unknown factors.
It was possible that forces from other districts could infiltrate earlier, seeking to loot amidst the chaos or not wanting to see a single power grow too strong.
Maybe other obstacles would arise; such things were hard to predict.
If one wanted to expand on a large scale, then the implications became vast.
Otherwise, over these many years, the underground forces of Donglin City would have been united already.
In fact, not even a single district had really been united in the true sense.
Underground forces, after all, belonged to the dark side and were subject to considerable pressure and crackdowns from various sectors.
Those larger forces did not want to touch this area, and the smaller forces did not have the capacity.
Tangyu wanted to get involved here firstly to give Xu Hu, Lengzi, and the others something to do—to help them fulfill a part of their ambition and desires.
Secondly, he wanted to nurture his own covert power.
Since he wanted to cultivate it, it was necessary to endure hardships and fight, so he devised this plan.
To be honest, Tangyu wasn’t very interested in unifying the entire underworld of Donglin City.
What he wanted was to forge a sharp force that could become a powerful aid to his left and right in the future.
“Three months is too long, I’m afraid I don’t have that much patience.
Brother Hu, with the addition of Xiao Yu, all his financial resources and manpower are at our disposal.
Additionally, Lin Group will support any of your actions, so if you encounter any trouble, I will intervene,” Tangyu said.
Xu Hu looked at Xiao Yu, and thinking of the enormous backing of Lin Group, he felt his blood surge with excitement: “If that’s the case, I believe I can take control within a month.”
Xiao Yu smiled broadly, “A month, huh?
I’ve always liked quick battles.
Since we’re starting with the Eastern District, let’s kick things off here.
The situation in the West District isn’t too complicated.
To expand completely, we just need to forge the right connections on the up-and-up.”
Tangyu rubbed his temples—if there really was trouble, he feared he might have to go see Director Yang Bureau and have a good talk with him.
With the support of this heavyweight, doing anything would become much easier.
However, Tangyu aimed to train his men, and wasn’t in a hurry to wipe out all obstacles at once, which would defeat the purpose.
Little Fish had always been very ambitious.
With him overseeing matters on the streets, Tangyu continued to play the role of a hands-off manager.
——
At the entrance of Donglin University, Liu Shiyi, with a radiant smile, walked over in her high heels, click-clacking with each step, looking youthful and beautiful.
Liu Shiyi’s beauty was like that of a classical painting, filled with charm.
“Tangyu, have you been waiting long?” Liu Shiyi said with a smile.
“Hehe, not at all.
Waiting longer for a beauty is only right,” Tangyu replied with a smile.
After drinking at Yandang Bar, he had thought that he had no important matters to attend to that evening, so he called Liu Shiyi to invite her out to dinner.
Liu Shiyi’s sweet smile widened, “When did you learn to say things that make girls happy, huh?”
“Must have been after I met you,” Tangyu mused.
“Hehe.” Liu Shiyi laughed even more joyously, appearing even more enchanting, causing Tangyu’s gaze to remain fixed on her.
However, a thought flashed through his mind—was he being greedy, wanting both the dish in front of him and the one in the pot?
He had only confirmed his relationship with Lin Feifei the night before, and now here he was, thinking about Liu Shiyi, as well as Liu Shanshan and Sister Min.
The mere thought of it gave Tangyu a bit of a headache.
“You’re more familiar with this area, why don’t you pick a place?” Tangyu said.
“Sure, I’ll take the lead then, follow me,” Liu Shiyi said.
Just then, Tangyu’s phone rang.
Seeing that it was Lin Feifei calling, Tangyu’s brow furrowed slightly.
He really was a neglectful boyfriend, having not returned since leaving that morning and not even calling to check on her, and now planning to dine with another woman in the evening.
With that thought, Tangyu couldn’t help feeling a little guilty.
He glanced at Liu Shiyi, “Excuse me, I need to take this call.”
So saying, Tangyu stepped aside to answer the call.
Liu Shiyi, being a perceptive person, naturally sensed something from his actions.
Her brows lifted slightly, and a trace of undetectable dark hues flitted through her eyes.
“Feifei, I’ve got something on tonight, and I can’t go home for dinner, so you all don’t need to wait for me.
I’ll come pick you up in a bit,” Tangyu said.
“Dad had something in the afternoon, so I didn’t go home for dinner.
I’ve already returned to my apartment,” Lin Feifei said, without a hint of blaming Tangyu.
“Oh, then you three have dinner by yourselves; I’ll try to come back as early as I can,” Tangyu replied.
“Okay, then I’m hanging up,” Lin Feifei said obediently before ending the call.
Pocketing his phone, Tangyu shook his head with a smile.
Lin Feifei’s gentle and unclingy nature was something he really appreciated.
“Girlfriend checking in on you?” Liu Shiyi asked, seemingly in jest.
“Cough, let’s go,” Tangyu, momentarily stunned, responded somewhat awkwardly.
Liu Shiyi saw that Tangyu didn’t deny it but tried to gloss over it.
Being a woman with delicate thoughts, she naturally understood the situation—Tangyu already had a girlfriend.
The realization subtly filled her with a sense of loss.
Tangyu caught the shift in Liu Shiyi’s expression and felt a strange sensation in his heart.
At that moment, he realized he cared about Liu Shiyi’s feelings; if she wasn’t happy, he felt uncomfortable too.
“Sigh, did I commit to a relationship too early, causing everyone else to keep their distance?” Tangyu couldn’t help wondering to himself.
The pair then lapsed into silence, as if deliberately avoiding each other’s gaze, silently walking together until a figure blocked their path.
“Rao Yuanzhen,” Liu Shiyi’s eyebrows rose, her gaze becoming vigilant as she looked at the person before them—Rao Yuanzhen.
Tangyu also looked at Rao Yuanzhen, but he didn’t see much hostility on Rao Yuanzhen’s face.
“Tangyu, I’m here on behalf of my brother, Rao Yuanzhi, to extend an invitation to you.
Do you have time tomorrow noon?
My brother would like to take you out for a meal,” Rao Yuanzhen said while looking at Tangyu.
Seeing him with Liu Shiyi, about to go out for a meal, Rao Yuanzhen felt decidedly uncomfortable, yet he had to admit that in terms of medical skills, he was indeed no match for the man before him.